How to Make Homemade Cream Cheese with Citric Acid
This easy homemade cream cheese recipe uses just three ingredients — whole milk, citric acid, and salt — to create a rich, creamy spread that's the perfect companion to any of my popular homemade bagel recipes.
Ingredients
- ½ gallon whole milk (1.9 liters)
- 60 grams water
- 2 teaspoons citric acid
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of any other type of salt)
Instructions
- First, let the milk sit out for 30-60 minutes before starting. The warmer the milk is at the start, the faster it will reach the right temperature. While the milk is sitting out, combine the citric acid and water in a small bowl and stir to dissolve.
- Pour the whole milk into non-reactive pot, with a candy thermometer attached, over medium to medium-high heat. Continue stirring every few minutes until the milk reaches 185°F and lots of small bubbles form around the edge of the pot. Be patient.
- When the milk mixture reaches 185°F, stir in the citric acid and water mixture. The curds and whey will separate almost immediately. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set up your straining system. Line a large colander with a clean flour-sack dish cloth, and tuck the edges of the cloth through the handles of the colander or clip them in place. Put the colander over a large bowl or bucket to collect the whey — you'll need it later.
- Slowly pour the milk into the towel-lined colander. If you have a smaller colander or smaller towel, you may need to pour in batches.
- Gather the towel tight through each handle of the colander to create as much of a taught, bag-like shape as you can, with the towel suspended inside the colander. Use clips or knot the towel to hold it in place. Let the cheese strain for 25-30 minutes, gently scraping down the sides of the towel and stirring the curds in the towel about halfway through.
- Transfer the strained cheese curds to a food processor along with the salt. Process on high speed in 20-30 second bursts for about 3 minutes total, pausing to scrape down the sides between each burst. If the cheese is looking gritty, add some of the reserved whey a ¼ teaspoon at a time to help the cream cheese smooth out.
- Scoop the cream cheese into an air tight container. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm before use.
Depending on the type of pot you're using, how cold the milk was when you started, or what kinds of burners you have, this can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.
Visually, you'll be able to tell the milk is approaching or at the right temperature to add the citric acid because lots and lots of bubbles will form a foam-like ring around the surface of the milk where it meets the pot.
RECIPE NOTES
- Kept refrigerated, homemade cream cheese will stay good for up to 1 week. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the cheese to keep it fresh.
- Store homemade cream cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Press a sheet of plastic wrap against the surface of the cheese inside the container to prevent air from drying it out.
- While some people will tell you that you can, I don't usually freeze cream cheese. Personally, I find it changes the texture just enough that I find it unpleasant to eat without running it through a food processor again, which I don't usually want to do. If you do want to freeze your homemade cream cheese, press a sheet of plastic wrap firmly against the surface in an airtight container. It will stay good in the freezer for about 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, run through a food processor or re-whip with a mixer before serving. Once defrosted it will be good for about a week in the fridge.
- As always, mold is a sure sign that your cream cheese has gone bad. If it's moldy, don't eat it!
- If adding any flavors to your cream cheese, make sure they are clean and dry first. Add them after blending the cream cheese to a smooth consistency.
- You can absolutely use a cheesecloth instead of a kitchen towel if you want. You'll want to layer it over itself 5 or 6 times so that it is fine enough to actually catch the curds instead of letting them drain through. Cheesecloth is very delicate, so be careful as you twist or clip it in place that it doesn't tear.