Homemade cream cheese recipe (Philadelphia-style) for Baby and the whole family

Today we’re making a simple, healthy, and budget-friendly recipe that’s perfect for the whole family: homemade cream cheese (Philadelphia-style)!
With just 3 ingredients, you’ll get a smooth, fresh cheese, no salt, no preservatives, perfect for babies from 6 months old and just as delicious for grown-ups! It’s the perfect alternative to store-bought processed cheese, and super easy to make at home 🙂

This homemade cream cheese takes only 10 minutes to prepare, which is another reason why it’s such a great recipe. Plus, you won’t need much equipment, just a saucepan, a strainer, and a blender.

Ingredients

Makes about 8 servings:

• 4 cups whole milk (or 2% milk)
• 1/2 lemon (to curdle the milk)
• 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter
• a pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once it’s very hot (just before boiling), remove the saucepan from the heat.
2. Squeeze the half lemon and add the juice to the hot milk. Stir well and let it sit for 5 minutes. The milk will begin to curdle, forming small curds and separating from the liquid (called whey). If it doesn’t curdle, add a little more lemon juice.
3. Once the milk has curdled, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and press down gently with a spatula (you can also use a clean cheesecloth or thin kitchen towel). This will separate the whey from the curds. You’ll end up with a soft, grainy paste.
4. Transfer this curd mixture into a blender with the 1 tbsp (15g) of unsalted butter. (Some people add a pinch of salt, but I personally don’t think it’s necessary—especially for babies, since many of our everyday foods already contain enough salt!) Blend until smooth and creamy.
   If the texture seems too thick, add a tablespoon of whey to adjust the consistency.
5. Spoon the creamy homemade “Philadelphia” into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Our homemade cream cheese recipe is already done! You’ll see, the result is pretty amazing 🙂

This homemade “Philadelphia” style cheese is perfect for babies. Just spread it on bread or mix it into veggie purées. For older kids and adults, it works great on toast, in sandwiches, or even as a creamy base for sauces!

Bon appétit 🙂

Storage

Store your homemade cream cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since it contains no salt or preservatives, it’s best to enjoy it quickly while it’s fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions