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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / How to Freeze Cream Cheese

How to Freeze Cream Cheese

May 2, 2019 by Ann 31 Comments

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Have you ever wondered if you can freeze cream cheese? The answer is yes, you can! Use the directiosn below on how to freeze cream cheese and tips for thawing frozen cream cheese when you are ready to use it.

How to Freeze Cream Cheese- Try these tips on freezing and thawing cream cheese. You can extend the life of cream cheese up to 6 months by freezing it!

Can you Freeze Cream Cheese?

Cream cheese is something that every so often you can find a great deal on.  You may be afraid to stock up on it since it is a dairy product, and you wonder can cream cheese be frozen? Don’t be scared to take advantage of a great deal on it when you find one!  You can freeze cream cheese! In fact, cream cheese is easy to freeze and it can be used in lots of recipes when it thaws out. Here are some tips on How to Freeze Cream Cheese in case you find one of those great deals you can’t pass up.

How to Freeze Cream Cheese

To freeze cream cheese, follow these simple instructions:

Put an unopened package of cream cheese in a freezer bag.  You will want to squeeze all of the air out.  Make sure that you date the bag!  Did you know that you can extend the life of your cream cheese by 6 months just by freezing it?

How to Thaw Frozen Cream Cheese

To thaw frozen cream cheese, follow these instructions:

Simply take the frozen cream cheese out of the freezer and place it in your refrigerator overnight. It will be thawed within 24 hours and ready to use.

The consistency of the cream cheese will slightly change during the freezing and thawing process.  After you thaw it will be a little crumbly so it doesn’t work as well as a spread, however,  you do have a few options.

How to Use Thawed Cream Cheese

  1. Use it for cooking certain recipes just as it is.  When you use it for cooking (casseroles, dips, baking, etc) it will taste just the same!
  2. Put it in the mixer (or whip it by hand) for a few minutes.  This method will work to sort of help it becomes spreadable but keep in mind that it will not quite restore it to the original consistency.
  3.  Warm it up in the microwave.  Stir it smooth.  When it cools it will go back almost to the same consistency that it was before being frozen!

The method that I use depends on what I am going to use the cream cheese for.  If we are baking with the cream cheese then option 1 is my go-to method.  However, for everyday use and most of the time, I use method 3.  It’s easy and just takes a few seconds to heat up!

Cream cheese is actually quite versatile, so don’t worry about freezing it.  It is perfect for freezing so the next time you see a great deal on cream cheese don’t be afraid to pick up one or two extra cartons and pop them into your freezer!

How to freeze cream cheese and how to thaw cream cheese and ideas for using thawed cream cheese.

More Freezing Tips:

How to Freeze Raw Ginger Root

Tips on how Dice and Freeze Bell Peppers

How to Freeze Cottage Cheese

Tips for Freezing Herbs

How to Freeze Lemon and Lime Juice with Zest

And don’t forget to use these tips for saving money on dairy products!

Thanks to Amanda Faulkner for sharing her tips!

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Comments

  1. Share Smithwick says

    May 6, 2022 at 5:19 am

    While ok and or perfect for most cooking recipes it is not to be trusted for long baking cheesecakes since it does lose some of its body in the freezing process and does not perform as well in long bakes. Works ok if you are using whipped cream with it in the kitchen-type no-bake cheesecakes but not the Greece/New york style cakes that bake from 45 min to 90 min.

    Reply
  2. Laurie says

    March 26, 2022 at 8:55 am

    Cn u re-freeze cream cheese if u don’t use an entire block but use fr daily toast fr example?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 30, 2022 at 11:53 pm

      I don’t recommend refreezing it. If you don’t normally use a whole block of it, then cut it into usable portions, wrap the cut pieces in plastic wrap, and then freeze them. Then you can only pull out and thaw what you need.

      Reply
  3. Nancy Kemp says

    July 15, 2021 at 10:14 am

    I am pleased to find your advice about freezing cream cheese. Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Lori says

    March 3, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    When you say freeze in original packaging do you mean the cardboard box or just the foil portion?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 4, 2021 at 1:03 am

      I place the cream cheese in the freezer still in the box.

      Reply
  5. Ginny says

    July 18, 2020 at 7:32 am

    Hi there…I have 3# blocks of cream cheese that my neighbor gave me. Could I divide it up & package it instead if freezing the entire 3#?
    How should I package it?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 18, 2020 at 6:57 pm

      Yes, you can. I recommend freezing it in 8-ounce packages since recipes often call for 8 ounces.

      Reply
  6. Gayle says

    February 25, 2020 at 6:43 am

    I really like all the ideas this will help me in the future when i buy cream cheese and not use right away many thanks to all of your group and especially. Alexa ;

    Reply
  7. Cathy says

    October 31, 2019 at 2:31 pm

    I’m wondering about freezing the flavored tubs of Philadelohia cream cheese? Eg, jalapeno, garlic & herb dill etc. Thanks

    Reply
  8. Sue says

    May 6, 2019 at 11:36 am

    Freezing cream cheese works best with the original Philadelphia Cream cheese. Other brands tend to get crumbly.

    Reply
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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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