Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pour the raw milk in a large pot on the stovetop. Heat on med-high, stirring constantly until it reaches a simmer/slow boil.
- Reduce the heat and slowly add in the lemon juice.
- Continue stirring until the raw milk fully separates into curds and whey. The curds will form white clumps and the whey will be a bright yellow color. It should only take a few minutes.
- Remove the pot from the stovetop and pour over a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and resting on a large bowl. This will allow the whey to strain from the curds. You can lift the cheesecloth up and squeeze out more whey if desired.
- Transfer the curds to a wide mouth mason jar and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can also use a regular blender, food processor, a stand mixer, or a hand mixer
- Add in salt and any other seasonings or flavors you may like.
- Transfer to a sealed container and keep refrigerated. Best if used within a week.
Notes
- If you don’t like the texture as you are blending the curds, you can add back more whey.
- Don’t throw the whey away! There are plenty of uses for it (see here).
- This will not be the same texture as store-bought cream cheese. There are no emulsifiers or gums in this homemade cream cheese, so it will automatically be slightly different. However, it will still be creamy and spreadable.
- Don’t overheat the raw milk. Milk can easily scorch and overflow. Make sure your heat isn’t too high, you are constantly stirring, and you are monitoring the process.
- Lime juice and vinegar are suitable substitutes for lemon juice.
- The cheesecloth is optional. You can simply use the fine mesh strainer by itself if that’s all you have.
- Cream cheese can be kept plain or spruced up with various seasonings, herbs, and fruits.
