60+ Easy Cream Cheese Recipes

Epic Cream Cheese Recipes! Everything from cream cheese dips, desserts, entrees, appetizers, and so much more! Great ways to use cream cheese in recipes.

Cream cheese is one of those pantry staples that doesn’t get enough recognition in the kitchen. It is a versatile ingredient that adds creaminess and a mild tang to many dishes, from breakfast to dessert and everything in between.

While we think of cream cheese being in a cheesecake recipe, it is also the perfect ingredient to add a creamy texture to so many recipes.

How Long Can Cream Cheese Sit Out?

Cream cheese can safely be left at room temperature for up to two hours.

A pack of cream cheese that hasn’t been opened keeps for up to three weeks past the printed expiry date. Once opened, refrigerate cream cheese in an airtight container for up to ten days.

Dairy products like cream cheese spoil quickly and even become a habitat for bacteria like salmonella if left out for too long or not adequately chilled.

Is Cream Cheese Vegetarian?

Yes, it is! While not all cheese is vegetarian-safe due to rennet, an enzyme derived from the stomach lining of calves, cream cheese uses whey and is thus safe for a vegetarian diet.

Whey is a byproduct of milk. No animal by-products are used to manufacture cream cheese.

Is Cream Cheese Gluten-Free?

Yes! Cream cheese that hasn’t come into contact with gluten-containing products, such as crackers and pretzels, is gluten-free. It is a naturally gluten-free product made with no gluten-containing products.

Cream Cheese Substitutes

Neufchatel

Neufchatel is a high-fat soft cheese that is the closest to cream cheese in flavor. Packs of neufchâtel are typically stocked in the dairy section alongside cream cheese. Swap at a 1:1 ratio.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt captures the creaminess and tanginess of cream cheese. For a texture closest to cream cheese, opt for a high-fat variety. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.

Sour Cream

Compared to cream cheese, sour cream is a less caloric way to add a fluffy and moist texture to baked goods. Texture-wise, it is the closest to cream cheese, making it an effective swap in cheesecakes. A 1:1 ratio works for this cream cheese alternative.

Mascarpone

The sweet Italian cheese mascarpone is a sensible cream cheese substitute in desserts. Mascarpone can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.

Silken Tofu (Vegan)

Silken tofu is a vegan cream cheese alternative with a firm texture and a mild flavor that disappears into dishes. Many of these recipes can be adapted to be vegan recipes.

How to Freeze Cream Cheese

Packages of cream cheese can be frozen for up to two months. Unopened cream cheese is safe to freeze as-is, as its original packaging provides adequate protection. Transfer the contents of opened cream cheese packages to airtight freezer bags to safeguard them from freezer burn.

Due to adverse textural changes when cream cheese is thawed, we recommend freezing cream cheese for use in dishes where the texture won’t matter, such as pasta and stews.

Cream Cheese Recipes

Sausage Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls

Pre-made crescent roll dough is your shortcut to these almost scratch-made sausage cream cheese rolls.

3 Ingredient Creamy Hidden Valley Ranch Dip

We love adding this easy-to-make ranch dip to grilled cheese sandwiches.

Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls

4 ingredient Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls are a quick and easy finger food appetizer everyone will love!

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

This Crock Pot beef stroganoff is hearty enough to please even the most staunch meat-and-potatoes guest at the table.

Want more stroganoff? We also have a Slow Cooker Crock Pot Chicken Stroganoff and, for garlic lovers, a Crock Pot Garlic Beef Stroganoff.

Ooey, Gooey, Butter Cake

Meet our yellow cake mix version of St. Louis’ famous gooey butter cake.

Lemon Dump Cake

This summery lemon dump cake, which she enjoys with Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream, was inspired by my mother-in-law’s love for all things lemon.

Garnish with fresh strawberries or blueberries for a great spring/summer cake!

Easy and Delicious Broccoli Casserole

Add this creamy and comforting broccoli casserole to your menu for the holidays.

3 Ingredient Potato Chip Dip

We made this copycat Lawson’s chip dip in honor of National Chip and Dip Day, which you can celebrate each March 23rd. Serve them with your favorite potato chip for the utmost potato indulgence.

The Best Overnight French Toast Casserole

Brunch is served with this overnight French toast that partially comes together while you catch some Zzzs.

Dorito Chicken Casserole

Featuring Doritos and the bold zest of a can of Rotel, this twist on the classic casserole is soon to be a game-day favorite.

Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

You’ll only need four ingredients - cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip, and cherry pie filling - to make our delectable no-bake cherry cheesecake dip

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

This Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip has all the flavor of pumpkin cheesecake with a fraction of the sugar. It is also delicious spread over morning toast.

Want more dip with everyone’s favorite fall flavor? Try our Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies

These almost-scratch-made cookies made with fresh carrots and homemade cream cheese frosting have to be among the most delicious ways to up your vegetable intake. We won’t judge!

Carrot Cake With Pineapple, Coconut, and Port Wine

We made this creative carrot cake with Old Vine Tinta Port, a port wine we brought home after visiting Ficklin Vineyards, America’s most prestigious port winery.

Tropical No-Bake Truffles

These pineapple-coconut truffles taste like bites of paradise.

3 Ingredient Rotel Sausage Dip

Whether you’re tailgating outdoors or from home, you’ll love this rich and flavorful three-ingredient sausage dip on game day. We suggest serving it with tortilla chips.

Marshmallow Fluff Fruit Dip

Make this sweet three-ingredient dip the star of your brunchtime fruit platter.

BLT Dip

This deconstructed BLT dip oozes creativity and serves wonderfully with sturdy chips like pita, tortilla, or bagel chips.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeños

These meaty and cheesy pieces of bacon wrapped-delight are amped with Cajun seasoning. They look so good served on a platter that guests won’t know they took only 15 minutes of prep time to make.

Crock Pot Bacon Blue Cheese Dip

Blue cheese makes this cheesy dip rich and adds a hint of color next to the bacon bits. Serve this yummy dip with toasted baguettes or crackers.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Our copycat Olive Garden Alfredo sauce is a quick and easy path to restaurant-quality pasta at home.

This dish is one of our family favorites. I love to make a huge pan of fettuccine alfredo so everyone can enjoy it.

Buffalo Chicken Wontons

A tried-and-true classic reinvented, these buffalo chicken wontons are one of our best-loved Super Bowl appetizers on the site. Consider making them with our Crock Pot Spicy Buffalo Ranch Chicken.

Crock Pot Creamed Corn

This versatile creamed corn recipe is the perfect canvas for custom add-ins like bacon, herbs, and green onions.

Super Easy Shepherds Pie

This 35-minute shepherd's pie can be loaded with all the meat and veggies your heart desires.

Bacon Cheeseburger Crock Pot Dip

Switch up dip time with this yummy five-ingredient bacon cheeseburger dip. We love serving it with red bell peppers, Fritos chips, tortilla chips, and toasted baguette slices.

John Wayne Casserole

The John Wayne Casserole is named after none other than the iconic actor. Bisquick Biscuit Mix gives this comforting casserole a biscuity base, and Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies add some fresh heat to the dinnertime table.

Check out all of our Rotel Recipes

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip

Cheesy, meaty, and tangy from the ranch, this flavor-filled dip turns into a quick dinner or appetizer when served with chips.

Easy Frank’s Buffalo Chicken Dip

Only five ingredients are needed to make the perfect buffalo chicken dip for movie nights, holiday parties, or game days.

Want to use another wing sauce? We also have this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Crock Pot Black Bean Queso Dip

In contrast to our meat and cheese dips, our Crock Pot Black Bean Queso Dip uses vegetarian-safe black beans.

Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip

This easy spinach artichoke dip was the first recipe we released during Crockuary, an entire February month when we made recipes using our Crock Pot.

This is one of our favorite Game Day Appetizers.

Green Jello Salad Recipe

This vintage classic gets its cool mint hue from Lime Jello. Keep this lime jello cool whip mixture in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.

Want more yummy nostalgia? Our nephew shared this recipe for southern Grape Salad.

Cheesy Crock Pot Sriracha Chicken Dip Recipe

In this game-day-ready recipe, the ranch does a great job of tempering some of the sriracha’s heat while adding some nice creaminess and tang.

How to Make No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

We love effortless cakes that require little time or effort. You can customize our no-bake Oreo cheesecake by using different Oreo flavors.

For more Oreo, try our fluffy Oreo Fluff dip with fruit.

Easy Tiramisu Recipe

Served in martini glasses, this elegant and effortless tiramisu-style pudding is perfect for holiday parties.

Crockpot Shrimp and Grits

We’re proud to say that this recipe was published in a national magazine, which we never thought would happen when we emerged onto the blogging scene.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Serve this make-ahead chocolate chip cream cheese ball with graham crackers.

Want more chocolate chip goodness? We have a recipe for the viral TikTok sensation, Easy 4 Ingredient Booty Dip.

Edible Brownie Batter

You won’t have to feel guilty about this safe-to-eat brownie batter that contains no cooked eggs.

No Bake Key Lime Pie

Homemade or pre-made pie crust can be used in this recipe for a zesty summer classic. Served in a homemade graham cracker crust this sweet treat is a family favorite.

Craving more no-baked pies? Try our No Bake Peanut Butter Pie, our summertime No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie, or our holiday favorite, No Bake Pumpkin Pie.

Crock Pot Taco Pasta

We like to add diced jalapeños to this slow-cooker taco pasta recipe for added heat.

Creme Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

We love delightful recipes that come together in a breeze, like this creme brûlée-inspired blend of cheesecake and cookie bar.

Our Lemon Cheesecake Bars will also hit the spot if you enjoy cheesecake bars.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

This baked spaghetti is an Italian comfort food sensation.

Bacon Jalapeño Bread Recipe

It’s hard to go wrong with the mouthwatering, savory combination of bacon, cheese, and jalapeños.

Crock Pot Mexican Spinach Dip

Add a south-of-the-border twist to your tailgate dip rotation with our Crock Pot Mexican Spinach Dip.

Semi-Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

During the rush of one holiday season, we whipped these up using store-bought pizza dough.

Candy Corn Cheesecake Mousse Recipe

Candy corn, an autumn treat synonymous with falling leaves and cooler weather, is the star of this 20-minute cheesecake mousse.

Homemade Twinkies Recipe

Twinkies are a Hostess product that has been met with adoration and skepticism. This homemade Twinkies recipe was our response to the announcement that these goodies would be pulled off shelves.

We have another copycat Hostess recipe for Copy Cat Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes.

Raspberry Coffee Cake Recipe

Tart and sweet raspberries are the stars of the perfect coffee cake for spring or summer brunches.

Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

While many of us were introduced to Rice Krispies as schoolchildren, these treats are enjoyed by the young and the old. Our Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats recipe with optional cream cheese glaze takes them to another level.

Lemon Butter Cookies

We enjoy taking cooking classes to perfect our craft as food bloggers, and yummy takeaways like these lemon butter cookies made with fresh lemons make the experience worth it.

Apricot Cookies

These shredded coconut and apricot cookies were part of our 2013 25 Days of Cookies, where we shared 25 cookie recipes each day until Christmas.

Crock Pot Beer Cheese Soup

This savory Crock Pot soup made with your favorite beer is just the thing when winter has dragged on too long.

Copy Cat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake

This creamy lemon cake with a vanilla crumb topping feels so indulgent for a homemade cake.

Mint Lemonade Cupcake Recipe

Mint and lemonade are so refreshing on a summer day, so why not turn them into the perfect seasonal cupcake?

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Icing

Baking is one of my respites when life gets crazy, and this cupcake recipe ended up in our household following a brutal summer of wildfires. It combines pumpkin and maple, two of the best things about sweater weather.

Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.

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Smoked Cream Cheese

Smoked Cream Cheese on a grill is amazing! This seasoned smoked cream cheese is the perfect football party appetizer!

Smoked Salmon Dip

Easy Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe is one of my favorite leftover smoked salmon recipes!

We hope you enjoy these cream cheese recipes! Let us know your favorite recipe with cream cheese in it!

Check out all of our easy dip recipes.

Favorite Kitchen Tools

Heat resistant potholders - A couple of years ago, we had a fire scare when we didn't realize we had turned a burner on, and a cloth potholder caught fire. Thankfully we walked by the kitchen and saw the smoke and were able to get it out ourselves. Since then, we have only used these heat-resistant potholders.

Baking Sheets - We are huge fans of these baking sheets with sides. You don't have to worry; you will remove cookies from the oven and have them slide right off.

Microwave Silicone cover - I swear by these lid covers to help prevent butter splatters when melting butter in the microwave. I have had way too many butter explosions while baking. These lid covers help keep the butter in the bowl and not on the roof of your microwave.

Crockpot - We suggest using a crockpot that has a digital timer that automatically switches the slow cooker to warm after a set amount of time. This helps make sure your dinner cooks perfectly and you don't have to stress about what time it is going to be done.

Large Mixing Bowl - We are big fans of this glass batter bowl that has a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter.

Air Fryer - We suggest getting an air fryer that is bigger than you think you will need. We found once we started using the air fryer, we ended up using it for more meals and larger meals.

Kitchen Tongs - We highly suggest getting a good pair of kitchen tongs to remove items from the air fryer and save your hands from getting burned.