Can You Freeze Cream Cheese? Yes, If You Do It Right
Like Diane, I love having cream cheese at abode and use it in almost everything, bagels, soups, cakes, and even pasta sauces!
Even so, similar other dairy-infused ingredients, foam cheese does not have a great shelf life and begins to change its gustatory modality if left in the refrigerator for too long.
If you're like me, I'm sure you lot have used it enough to have been left with half blocks of the stuff, afterwards including information technology in your recipes or using it as a spread.
Zip beats the season of cream cheese on fresh bread with some tomatoes and salami
Though you lot may dearest cream cheese, sometimes yous cannot apply what y'all have in i go for a single meal or recipe. As a outcome, you are left with an opened foam cheese block that may non exist needed anytime soon.
This got me thinking one day; tin can you freeze cream cheese? Yes, yous can freeze foam cheese for upwards to 2 months. Withal, the cheese will suffer some texture and consistency changes, making it unsuitable to use as a spread. Instead, it tin exist used in a recipe in baked foods and desserts.
Are you wondering how to make your defrosted cheese looking flossy again? or it may exist that you are wondering how to freeze it to ensure it does not suffer from freezer burn down. Keep on reading every bit nosotros answer these and some other questions yous may have!
Can Yous Freeze Cream Cheese?
Yes, you tin freeze foam cheese. However, a lot of changes happen when you put your cream cheese in the freezer. Ane example may be that your foam cheese changes in texture and consistency.
Frozen cream cheese will experience grainy and crumbly compared to unfrozen foam cheese, which is commonly more smooth and dumbo. The reason for the texture difference can be traced to the water content of the cream cheese itself.
Unlike other cheeses, cream cheese includes foam, which is where the name "foam cheese" came from. The addition of cream makes cream cheese softer and, some would say, tastier than other types of cheeses.
When you freeze foam cheese, the water content from the cream freezes into ice crystals. This makes frozen cream cheese grainy, gritty and crumbly. Once thawed, the ice crystals from the foam's water content melt dorsum into the water, but cannot properly bail with the cheese, as information technology had earlier freezing.
Hence, frozen cream cheese becomes unsuitable for employ as a spread. Instead, it can be used in a recipe in baked foods and desserts.
Can Y'all Freeze Cream Cheese After Opening?
Yes, you lot tin freeze foam cheese afterwards opening it.
However, due to texture changes, the cheese will be unsuitable to use equally a spread. So, if you lot plan to employ your cream cheese as a traditional spread for bagels, crackers, or any other food product, you may want to consider keeping it in the refrigerator first.
Foam cheese will last for one to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. If you plan to use information technology within this period, the fridge is the best place for storage.
Nonetheless, if y'all practice not plan to use your cream cheese within the 2-week flow, and are okay with non existence able to use frozen cream cheese as a spread for bread and other food items, it's okay to freeze your opened foam cheese.
How Practice Y'all Store Cream Cheese In The Freezer?
Since we have established that it is perfectly okay to freeze cream cheese to preserve and extend its shelf life, we move on to how to shop cream cheese in the freezer. How cream cheese is stored in the freezer is based on whether it is opened or not. Beneath, we will take a closer look at both situations.
Opened foam cheese can be stored in the freezer but how it is stored is different from how a block of unopened cream cheese is stored.
Putting an opened block of foam cheese directly into the freezer puts information technology at risk of freezer burn down. Whatever product exposed to air and stored straight in the freezer may experience freezer burn, and cream cheese is no exception.
To ensure this does not happen follow the steps below:
Step one
Transfer opened foam cheese from its foil to a sealable container, freezer bag, or food saver pocketbook.
Pace 2
Wrap the container with a cling wrap for added protection if you choose to use a sealable container instead.
Step three
Label the container with the date the cream cheese went into the freezer.
This will ensure you know when to use your foam cheese past.
On the other mitt, unopened cream cheese can exist stored in the freezer directly in its package. The foil and paper-thin package is enough to go on your cream cheese protected from freezer burn.
While the original packet is enough, some people still adopt to toss blocks of unopened cream cheese in a plastic wrap or freezer handbag for adequate protection. This is as well a cracking way to freeze unopened cream cheese if you don't want to freeze your cream cheese in its original packaging.
How Long Can You lot Freeze Cream Cheese?
Foam cheese tin can be stored opened, and unopened, in the freezer for up to 2 months. However, the spreadable cream cheese, sold in plastic tubs, is not recommended for freezing
Do note that the spreadable foam cheese in plastic tubs can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge once opened, and up to a month if unopened.
It is also important to think that whatever cream cheese left at room temperature for more than two hours should be tending of immediately. If you discover a colour change, odd smell and/or a foreign flavor in your foam cheese, do not freeze it, merely discard the package instead.
This is because room temperature can present optimal conditions for the natural bacteria in the cheese to grow at dangerous levels, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient poisoning!
How Do You Make Frozen Cream Cheese Creamy Again?
Every bit mentioned earlier, frozen cream cheese loses its smooth, flossy, and dense texture to become grainy and crumbly. As a consequence, frozen cream cheese becomes unsuitable for utilise as a spread.
Withal, there are several methods you tin can use to make grainy and crumbly frozen cream cheese smooth and creamy again. While these won't get y'all the perfectly flossy texture of unfrozen cream cheese, they will integrate the cream cheese'southward ingredients to get yous something close.
Whisk
Whisking is a elementary method to make your frozen foam cheese creamy over again. First, thaw your frozen cream cheese. Then, utilise a whisk to mix the thawed cream cheese together. Whisking will improve the consistency of the thawed cream cheese.
The Microwave Method
The other method of getting your frozen cream cheese close to its smooth texture and creamy consistency is the microwave.
Although the microwave method requires y'all to put some actress effort to go your frozen cream cheese dorsum to its creamy consistency, it is an constructive method that will make your frozen cream cheese less crumbly and grainy.
Below, are a list of steps:
Step 1
Start by thawing the frozen cream cheese. You can do this by removing information technology from the freezer and transferring it to the refrigerator for 24-hour interval.
Footstep 2
Once the frozen cream cheese is defrosted, remove it from its current package and place it into a basin that's safe for use in the microwave.
Step 3
Turn on the microwave and microwave the cream cheese for almost ten seconds. Delight annotation, it is important to have the cream cheese out of its original foil packaging before microwaving, or yous may start a burn down as foil is non microwave safe.
Step 4
Stir the contents, collecting all of the cream cheese from the side of the bowl as well.
Step 5
There should be an improvement in consistency. Repeat the procedure until you arrive at a consistency you prefer.
The Stove Method
The stove method is an alternative style of improving frozen foam cheese consistency for people who do not similar using the microwave for food items. This method likewise gives you lot better estrus and process control.
To utilise the stove method, start past thawing your frozen cream cheese in the refrigerator. In one case the cream cheese is defrosted completely, y'all tin begin the following steps.
Step 1
Make full a medium-sized saucepan with h2o and place it on the stovetop.
Stride 2
On top of the saucepan, place a bowl that is smaller than the bucket. Brand sure that the basin doesn't reach the bottom of the water or the bucket. This will preclude straight rut to the cheese. If you lot have a double banality, this would also work.
Footstep 3
Place your thawed cream cheese into the smaller basin.
Footstep 4
Stir the foam cheese gently until smooth or to your preferred consistency.
How Practice You lot Defrost Cream Cheese?
The best way to defrost frozen cream cheese is to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator, and leave it in that location for xx-four hours, or until it is completely defrosted.
If you do not have the time to wait for the cream cheese to defrost in the refrigerator, you can employ absurd h2o to speed up the process. To thaw the foam cheese using this method, follow the steps below.
Step 1
Place your foam cheese in a leak-proof pocketbook or container. If you opted to freeze your cheese out of its original package, and then your bag/container is likely already waterproof.
Step 2
Fill a bowl with common cold water.
Step 3
Place the freezer purse/ziplock pocketbook in the bowl of water. This water should be changed every xxx minutes to ensure it remains common cold. Warm h2o is likely to allow leaner to grow.
Footstep iv
Continue the process until the frozen foam cheese is completely defrosted.
To allow the cream cheese to evenly thaw on all sides, flip it over, as the water is being changed.
Another mode to ensure even thawing is to weigh the cream cheese downwards in the water to prevent it from floating. Do make certain the container/bag do not have whatsoever leaks or your cheese volition get soaking wet and it volition be destroyed!
How To Soften Cream Cheese?
Besides thawing frozen cream cheese, sometimes your cream cheese may need to be softened before using it in your recipes.
Common cold cream cheese might plough out lumpy in some recipes when beaten in its common cold state. Hence, the demand to soften earlier use.
The first, and directly method, of softening cream cheese is to leave it out on the counter for about fifteen minutes. This gives the cream cheese time to adjust to the room temperature and ultimately get soft.
If you do not have the luxury of time, another method is to use a microwave. Remove the foil from the block of cream cheese and place it on a microwavable-condom plate or in a bowl.
Prepare the microwave to high and turn it on for about 15 to twenty seconds. Next, apply your fingers to examination the cream cheese. It should non feel hot, but yous should feel the cream cheese begin to soften. If you want it to exist softer, you tin repeat the process until it is to your liking (Source: The Spruce Eats).
Is Cream Cheese Still Good Later on Existence Frozen?
Yes, cream cheese remains skillful later on freezing.
As mentioned in other sections above, the only inhibition with frozen cream cheese is that the consistency and texture changes from being creamy and smooth to crumbly, gritty, and grainy.
While this may seem like a problem, as it means yous cannot use frozen cream cheese equally a spread, at that place is a workaround in the "How Do Y'all Brand Frozen Cream Cheese Flossy Once more?" section, higher up. In this department, nosotros discussed three methods by which the frozen cream cheese could be thawed. The result may not exist as perfect equally unfrozen foam cheese, but it would get you shut.
If your cream cheese changes to a yellow color, have a foul odor, or develops mold; throw it immediately away.
Does Philadelphia Cream Cheese Freeze Well?
Yep, Philadelphia foam cheese freezes as well every bit any other make.
Philadelphia Foam Cheese is one of the most well-known foam cheese brands. Like all other cream cheese's, it tin can exist preserved, and its shelf life extended past storing it in the freezer.
How Long Can Y'all Freeze Philadelphia Foam Cheese?
Philadelphia cheese tin be frozen for upwards to ii months without changing its gustation. Beyond that engagement, the taste of the cheese will be compromised!
Uses For Frozen Cream Cheese?
You have frozen cream cheese, and at present it is time to employ them again. Know that thawed cream cheese won't be peachy to use equally a spread for bagels, crackers, or other meals. Not that it poses any risks to your wellness, merely the change in texture and consistency brand spreading unenjoyable.
If y'all accept the time, you can try any of the methods listed in the "How Practice Yous Make Frozen Cream Cheese Creamy Again?" section. While these methods won't get yous the perfect texture and consistency, they will bring yous close and make your thawed frozen cream shine enough for utilize as a spread.
Thawed cream cheese works nifty in baked recipes and desserts. This is considering the change in consistency and texture is barely noticeable when mixed with other ingredients, and volition not mar the recipe or dish.
Hither are some recipes using cream cheese that volition impress your family:
- No-Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake Confined
- Puff Pastry With Cheesecake and Cherry
- Halloween Witch Finger Cookies And Blood-red Velvet Hot Chocolate
- Strawberry Bars Recipe With A Delicious Mousse
- No-Broil Fruit Pizza
Determination
Whether you jumped on a auction and grabbed all of the boxes of foam cheese you could find, or you lot just love to have them around to utilise in your next heady recipe, we accept extensively discussed how to preserve and extend the shelf life of cream cheese via freezing.
From what happens to cream cheese when you freeze it, how you freeze opened or unopened cream cheese, how long frozen foam cheese will last, and even how to make thawed cream cheese, flossy again, we have empowered you with all of the essential information you need to freeze your cream cheese successfully.
So, from today on, the short shelf life of cream cheese volition no longer hamper your honey for cream cheese and its consumption. After successfully reading this slice, you have go a professional person when information technology comes to freezing cream cheese.
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Source: https://www.diys.com/can-you-freeze-cream-cheese/
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