Cream cheese is liked by almost everyone because of the super delicious taste. It also helps to add that punch of flavor in many of the recipes. I myself am a huge fan of this heavenly food! I usually hoard my freezer with as much cream cheese as it can hold. The best part of cream cheese is that you can use it in a variety of recipes such as scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, white sauce pasta and the list goes on. I prefer to add a layering of Philadelphia cream cheese on breads and bagels. This leaves us with the question at hand, can you freeze cream cheese?
The only consequence of having this ingredient is that it does not stay fresh inside the fridge for a long time. If you’re tired of this problem too, the best solution to this is to freeze the cream cheese so that the freshness can be retained for your future use.
Even if you can not use the thawed cream cheese as a spread, it is an excellent helpful ingredient for things like dough, cheesecake, frosting and many more recipes. When people ask me if they can freeze this delicious ingredient, I always tell them the method of doing it happily. In this specific blog, I will address the same topic so hop on!
How to freeze cream cheese?
There are some opinions in this matter. For instance, placing a layering of wrapping to the ingredient prior to freezing cream cheese. Even if the layer of extra plastic or probably a freezer bag is not destructive to cream cheese, it is not that important. The reason is because the cream cheese blocks are previously sealed in foil and packed in cardboard. This double protection system with foil and cardboard is more than enough against the freezer burn.
However, if you are interested in giving the best protection, tuck it away at the end of the freezer so that it stays away from the excess air. You should simply place the thawed cream cheese inside the freezer and use it consistently in your recipes to make sure that it gets used earlier.
In case you are utilizing a vacuum sealer for the purpose of freezing, separate it from the outer box but remember to have it remain inside the foil (if you’re using the foil). The perks of using foil is that it’s design shields the cream cheese. If you have purchased the cheese from outside instead of making it at home, the foil elongates the lifetime of the ingredient to a great extent.
Although there is not much concerning the frozen cream cheese, it is best to consume the unopened cream cheese within two months maximum. After two months, the taste and freshness will begin to reduce.
You know what they say: “Do not waste your freezer space on cold cream cheese”. This saying originated from the cons of storing cream cheese for too long. Some people are misinformed about the duration this flavorful ingredient can be kept inside the freezer. They are of the belief that the longer it stays inside, the more tasty it will become.
However, this has been proven wrong. In case your cream cheese has been tucked inside the freezer for more than two months, you should immediately throw it out. Old cheese is harmful for your health.
Method of thawing and using the frozen cream cheese
Whenever you want to use cream cheese in your cooking or baking, you should switch it’s spot from freezer to fridge so that it can be thawed in a relatively cool environment. Allow your cheese to be thawed inside the fridge for a day.
In case you can not wait that long, put the cheese inside a zipper lock bag. Place the bag inside a bowl of warm water. Let the cream cheese bag sit in the water until it is properly thawed.
If you want the thaw to occur evenly, flip the bag after you change the water numerous times. Alternatively, you can apply weight on the bag so that it does not float on the surface of water. Afterwards, you can use it just like you utilize cream cheese you freshly buy.
The stovetop and microwave methods
Do you want to have the same creaminess of your cream cheese after it has been thawed? Then follow the steps for the two best methods for this purpose!
Microwave method:
Put your completely thawed cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. You should microwave it for a few seconds. Stir and repeat this process to gain the creamy texture.
Remember to not increase the temperature too high and stir efficiently for the best results. This will also prevent the cream cheese to be dried up on the edges.
Stovetop method:
Many people prefer this method instead of the microwave one. This allows you to have more control on the heating procedure. Moreover, cream cheese can not get dried up on the edges either.
For this method, put the cheese in a big glass bowl on the average saucepan or a double boiler. Consistently stir it until it’s smooth. Place the thawed cheese packed in an airtight box in the fridge for maximum a week after you open it.
If any cheese is left, you can eat it as a side dish with numerous foods such as grilled cheese sandwiches, mashed potatoes or any egg dish.
How to manage your cream cheese
● Remember the market bought cream cheese that is unopened cream cheese can be kept in the refrigerator for more than a month. This estimate of time is determined after the sell-by date which is mentioned in the package. But if you purposely keep the cream cheese you want soon, to be inside the refrigerator even after the sell-by date is passed, you will be causing harm to it. Such an action will reduce the quality and taste of cream cheese after you have thawed it.
● The best way to increase the lifetime of using cream cheese is to let it thaw properly in the fridge first before using it anywhere.
● A useful tip revolving around cream cheese is to make labels on each package. The label should signify the use-by date so that you can know the exact expiry of the cream cheese. Another helpful label would state the time between when you kept it in the freezer and sell-by date. This time duration label will let you estimate how long the cream cheese will be fresh after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) How can the other cheeses be frozen?
In case you have a big freezer space, it is ideal to freeze the rest of the cheeses in your collection. The types of cheeses which have the ability to freeze quickly are the thick and semi-hard ones. For instance, mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan are hard cheeses which can be frozen better almost as good as cream cheese.
They can be frozen in the exact same way as described above. However, when these cheeses will be thawed, you will notice something peculiar. Their form will be crumbly but as far as the taste is concerned, no change is depicted.
If you have bricks of cheese, you should only freeze the part which you are determined to shred later. The cheese type which stays the most perfectly inside the freezer is packaged shredded cheese.
2) Can you freeze the frosting of cream cheese?
This question is usually asked when someone has to freeze a cake after any event. It is possible to freeze the cream cheese frosting. The sugar inside the composition of frosting retains the texture even after thawing. In case you have prepared the frosting and frozen it prior to doing the decoration, make sure the frosting is brought to room temperature. Stir it perfectly as well.
3) Is it possible to freeze the flavored version of cream cheese?
Flavored cream cheese, especially the strawberry one is very popular. Incorporating berries lowers the storage time on the preparation for cream cheese and so, it makes preservation important. The best approach is to prepare big batches of flavored cream cheese so that it can be frozen and used later whenever you want it.
You can practice the stovetop method described above to revive it’s texture.
4) Can you freeze the dips made of cream cheese?
Yes, the dips you find so delicious can be easily stored for long time utilization. If the dips are layered, they should be consumed freshly. For freezing it, you can stir the layered dip before putting it in the freezer.
Again, practice the stovetop method for elevating the texture.
Wrapping it up
This article should of walked you through some of the methods used in freezing this special ingredient! If you’re a fan of frozen cream cheese just like me, I recommend you buy it in the times when it goes on sales and storing it in the freezer. This will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run or you can buy in bulk in big box stores and put away for raining day. Moreover, during the holiday season, you can freeze the cream cheese to impress your friends and family.
