Can You Freeze Cream Cheese?

Cream cheese has a tendency to revert to its former state when frozen.

Cream cheese is unlike most cheeses in that it does not undergo an aging process. Because of the soft nature of cream cheese, produced by blending the milk fat with water during production, it has a tendency to revert to its former state when frozen. The milk solids become crumbly and the water separates from the milk. However, some guidelines for freezing cream cheese or products containing cream cheese may help you preserve it for up to one month.

Things You'll Need

• Freezer paper
• Resealable plastic bags

Instructions

1. Choose cream cheese that contains a higher fat content. Low-fat cream cheese fares badly when thawed, though you may use it as an ingredient in a casserole.

2. Leave the cream cheese in its original packaging. Wrap the box or tub with freezer paper and place it in a resealable plastic bag, squeezing out most of the air before sealing.

3. Place the cream cheese or dips made from cream cheese on the middle shelf of the freezer to maintain an even temperature. You may leave the cream cheese in the freezer for up to one month.

4. Blend thawed cream cheese with a mixer to smooth out the lumps and grainy texture caused by freezing. This will help, but it won't return the cream cheese to its original creamy state. However, the taste and texture are fine for use in casseroles and most baking recipes.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't expect the cream cheese to look the same when you take it out of the freezer. Generally, the less time it spends in the freezer, the better it will fare.

• Mix cream cheese with whipping cream before freezing for the best results. This helps form a bond between the milk fats and the water, encouraging the cheese to stay creamy. It's also recommended to mix a cheesecake or a cream cheese--based filling before freezing.

• Prepare cream cheese--based icing by whipping the cheese with shortening before freezing, but don't add the sugar until you thaw and rewhip the mixture.

• Leave out the sugar when adding ingredients to cream cheese before freezing. Sugar contributes to the separation of milk fats and water.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish