Cream Cheese Cooking Measures, Tips, And Substitutions

Cream cheese is an unripened cheese made from cow's milk, with added emulsifiers for firmness. At room temperature, it spreads easily and has a smooth, creamy texture. It's available in foil-wrapped blocks or as a soft-spread form, whipped with air to make it spreadable straight from the fridge. Besides regular cream cheese, there are also low-fat and nonfat varieties, which can have different uses, measurements, and characteristics for cooking.

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Measurement Conversions for Cream Cheese

Conversions can be a bit tricky with cream cheese since cups and tablespoons are volume measures, while ounces and grams are weight measures. Regular cream cheese differs from whipped cream cheese, as whipped cream cheese weighs less per unit of volume.

Regular cream cheese has these conversions:

• 1/16 cup: 0.5 ounces | 1 tablespoon | 15 grams | 1/2 serving
• 1/8 cup: 1 ounce | 2 tablespoons | 30 grams | 1 serving
• 1/4 cup: 2 ounces | 4 tablespoons | 60 grams | 2 servings
• 1/3 cup: 2.6 ounces | 5 tablespoons | 75 grams | 2.5 servings
• 3/8 cup: 3 ounces | 6 tablespoons | 85 grams | 3 servings
• 1/2 cup: 4 ounces | 8 tablespoons | 120 grams | 4 servings
• 2/3 cup: 5.3 ounces | 11 tablespoons | 150 grams | 5.5 servings
• 3/4 cup: 6 ounces | 12 tablespoons | 170 grams | 6 servings
• 1 cup: 8 ounces | 16 tablespoons | 225 grams | 8 servings

Whipped cream cheese has these conversions:

• 1/16 cup: 0.4 ounces | 1 tablespoon | 11 grams | 1/2 serving
• 1/8 cup: 0.8 ounces | 2 tablespoons | 22 grams | 1 serving
• 1/4 cup: 1.6 ounces | 4 tablespoons | 44 grams | 2 servings
• 1/3 cup: 2.0 ounces | 5 tablespoons | 57 grams | 2.5 servings
• 1/2 cup: 3.2 ounces | 8 tablespoons | 91 grams | 4 servings
• 2/3 cup: 4.0 ounces | 11 tablespoons | 113 grams | 5.5 servings
• 3/4 cup: 4.8 ounces | 12 tablespoons | 136 grams | 6 servings
• 1 cup: 6.4 ounces | 16 tablespoons | 181 grams | 8 servings

Calories

A 1-ounce (2 tablespoons) serving of regular cream cheese contains 100 calories, whereas a 0.8-ounce (2 tablespoons) serving of whipped cream cheese contains 50 calories. The whipped variety has less volume by weight, resulting in fewer calories per tablespoon. Otherwise, both have similar nutritional profiles.

Substitutions for Cream Cheese

In most applications, Neufchatel cheese can be substituted for cream cheese in equal measure. To reduce fat in dips and spreads, substitute yogurt cheese, creamed cottage cheese, or low-fat/nonfat cream cheese in equal measure for regular cream cheese.

For recipes requiring melted cream cheese, note that low-fat and nonfat varieties will not melt as well as regular cream cheese. Because of the lower fat content, more emulsifiers and stabilizers inhibit melting.

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Softening Block Cream Cheese

You might need to soften cream cheese to mix it with other ingredients or make it more spreadable for table use.

One way to soften cream cheese is to place the foil packet or plastic container of cream cheese in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes. If you have an open package, place it in a plastic zip-lock bag, press out as much air as possible, seal it, and immerse it in lukewarm water.

You can use the microwave to soften cream cheese. First, remove the cream cheese from the foil packaging and place it on a microwave-safe plate.

To mix the cream cheese with other ingredients, microwave for 1 minute for an 8-ounce block or 30 seconds for a 3-ounce block with 50 percent power.

To soften cream cheese for serving, use the High setting. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds for an 8-ounce block or 5 to 15 seconds for a 3-ounce block. The timing will vary depending on your microwave's power, so you might need to experiment, microwaving it for shorter durations until you achieve the desired softness.

Making Flavored Cream Cheese

You can flavor your cream cheese with herbs, fruit jelly, or spices. Place the cream cheese and other ingredients in a blender, food processor, or mixer bowl. Add a few drops of water or milk and process till the ingredients are creamed together.

Room Temperature Cream Cheese

When using cream cheese in cheesecake, the cheese must be at room temperature before beginning to achieve a smooth, creamy result. To bring it to room temperature, remove it from the refrigerator for one to two hours before you will be using it in the recipe.

For a quick party dip, bring a block of cream cheese to room temperature and top with salsa, chutney, or fruit preserves. Serve with savory crackers, vegetables, fruits, or cookies.

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