What is cream cheese, and which kind do you need?
The soft cheese you spread on toast may be too loose for an American frosting recipe. For baking, check the texture as well as the name.
Quick answer
Cream cheese is a soft, mild, slightly tangy fresh cheese made from milk and cream. In the UK, look for full-fat soft cheese; in Australia and Canada, look for cream cheese. American baking recipes usually mean firm block cream cheese. Buy a block or the firmest full-fat version available for cheesecake and frosting, since spreadable or whipped tubs can make the mixture runny.
What to buy where you live
| Country | Look for | For cheesecake or frosting |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Full-fat soft cheese | Choose the firmest version; light cheese makes a softer cheesecake |
| Australia and Canada | Cream cheese | Choose a firm full-fat product rather than a whipped spread |
| US | Cream cheese in a foil-wrapped block | The usual baking choice is an 8-ounce (226 g) block |
| Germany | Frischkäse in der Doppelrahmstufe | Choose Frischkäse rather than Quark |
| France | Fromage frais à tartiner | St Môret is softer; drain it or choose Philadelphia for cheesecake |
| Quebec | Fromage à la crème | Check that it is firm enough for the recipe |
| Italy | Formaggio spalmabile | Mascarpone and ricotta behave differently |
| Spain and Latin America | Queso crema or queso para untar | Mexican crema is pouring cream |
| Brazil | Cream cheese | Requeijão cremoso won't hold a frosting or set a cheesecake |
| Indonesia | Cream cheese in the chilled dairy section | Look for blocks intended for baking |
Philadelphia is a familiar cream cheese brand in many countries, but local labels still matter. A tub marked soft cheese can be the local equivalent while having a softer texture than the American block a recipe writer used.
Compare block, spreadable and whipped cream cheese
| Form | Texture | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Firm full-fat block | Dense and firm | American cheesecake and cream cheese frosting |
| Spreadable tub | Softer, with more water or air | Spreading and dips; use a baking recipe written for it |
| Whipped tub | Airy and easy to spread | Toast and bagels rather than a direct baking swap |
| Light cream cheese or US Neufchâtel | Lower in fat | Recipes designed for that product; cheesecake may be softer |
The US standard for cream cheese requires at least 33% milk fat and at most 55% moisture. A package from another country can use a different labeling system. German Doppelrahmstufe, for example, refers to fat in the dry matter, so its percentage isn't directly comparable with a US milk-fat percentage.
Mascarpone, Quark and other look-alikes
Mascarpone is richer and less tangy than cream cheese. Ricotta is grainier and lower in fat. Both can appear in cheesecakes, but those recipes account for how they behave. Replacing the cream cheese in an American baked cheesecake without other changes can give a different texture.
Quark is wetter and much lower in fat. German Käsekuchen recipes are built for it, while American cheesecake recipes need Frischkäse. A successful Quark cake doesn't mean Quark will work unchanged in every cheesecake.
Brazilian requeijão cremoso is a runnier, saltier cooked cheese spread. Mexican crema is pouring cream. For another often-confused fresh cheese, see the cottage cheese guide; its curds aren't the smooth texture a cream cheese recipe expects.
Pick a swap for the way you'll use it
For a dip or spread, labneh or thick strained Greek yogurt can supply body and tang. Choose an unflavored version and season after mixing. A dip gives you room to adjust the texture as you go, so it is more forgiving than a cheesecake batter.
For frosting, mascarpone with a squeeze of lemon is an option, though it tastes richer and behaves differently. For cheesecake, there is no close universal swap. Use a recipe written for drained full-fat Quark or blended ricotta if you want to bake with those cheeses.
If a recipe calls for both cream cheese and sour cream, keep them as separate ingredients. They contribute different textures. Heavy cream is different again; the heavy cream vs whipping cream guide helps with that carton choice.
Keep frosting from turning runny
Use cold block cream cheese with soft butter for cream cheese frosting. Once the sugar is in, beat the cream cheese only briefly. Continuing to beat can loosen the frosting instead of making it firmer.
Don't apply that temperature advice to every cheesecake: follow the method in the recipe you're making. Before starting, check whether it expects block cheese, a spreadable tub or a particular local product. The form of the cheese is part of the recipe, even when the ingredient line only gives its name.
Questions
Is soft cheese the same as cream cheese in the UK?
Full-fat soft cheese is the label to look for as the UK equivalent. For an American cheesecake or frosting recipe, choose the firmest version you can find.
Can I use tub cream cheese instead of a block?
For spreading or a dip, usually yes. For baking and frosting, tubs can contain more water or air, so use a recipe written for that product if you can't get a firm block.
Can mascarpone replace cream cheese?
It can work in frosting with a squeeze of lemon, but it is richer and less tangy. For baked cheesecake, use a mascarpone recipe rather than treating it as an unchanged swap.
Is cream cheese the same as requeijão?
No. Requeijão cremoso is a different, runnier and saltier cooked cheese spread that won't set a cheesecake or hold cream cheese frosting.
Keep reading
- Ingredients explainedWhat is cottage cheese, and what should you buy?Find out what cottage cheese is, what to buy in the UK and elsewhere, how it differs from ricotta, and when to drain or blend it for recipes.
- Ingredients explainedWhat is sour cream? Names and useful swapsLearn what sour cream is, why the UK calls it soured cream, and how crème fraîche or Greek yogurt work instead in dips, hot sauces and baking.
- Ingredients explainedHeavy cream vs whipping cream: what changesCompare heavy cream and whipping cream for toppings, sauces and baking. Find fat percentages, swap amounts and cream names to look for abroad.