Difference between Cream Cheese and Cream Cheese Spread

Key difference: Cream cheese is a type of soft cheese. Cream cheese spread is made by mixing cream cheese with other ingredients to make spreading easier.

Cream cheese and cream cheese spread are both types of soft cheeses. There isn’t much difference between the two. In fact, cream cheese spread is basically whipped cream cheese.

Cream cheese is a soft, white cheese that is traditionally made from a mixture of whole milk and fresh cream. It is in the same family of dairy products as other milk products, including cream, milk, butter, and yogurt. Cream cheese generally has a high fat content, with 33% being fat and 55% water. It is not naturally matured, which means that it is not aged, and is meant to be consumed fresh.

Cream cheese spread is basically a variety of cream cheese. It is whipped cream cheese mixed with other ingredients to give it different tastes and textures, e.g. yogurt-cream spread, which is 1.25 parts cream cheese, 1 part yogurt, and is whipped. The whipping of the cream cheese makes it easier to spread. The main difference between cream cheese and cream cheese spread is that of the texture, the fact that cream cheese spread is easier to use and that it has a longer shelf life than normal cream cheese.

Cream cheese and cream cheese spread come in various types. This mainly depends on the type of cheese used, the texture, length of aging, methods of making, the kind of milk used and fat content.

Cream cheese has many uses. It is often used in sweet and savory recipes, such as in making cheesecake, cakes, cookies, cream cheese frosting, as well as Crab Rangoon. Cream cheese is also often used to thicken sauces and make them creamy. At times, it is also in place of or with butter, especially in sweet recipes. It may also be used instead of butter or olive oil for making mashed potatoes. Cream cheese is also often spread on bread, bagels, crackers, etc., as well as used as a dip for potato crisps and in salads. However, nowadays cream cheese spread is mainly used for this, as it is easier to spread and to dip in.

Mainly, the easiest way to differentiate them is to remember that cream cheese is mainly used as an ingredient, while the cream cheese spread is used, as its name suggests, as a spread, usually on bread, bagels, or crackers.

Image Courtesy: foodsubs.com, gourmetsleuth.com

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Comments

Can I use cheese spread for cheese cake

No it cannot. I made this mistake tonight and it was disastrous to the recipe.

Can cream cheese spread be interchanged for regular cream cheese for baking?

Very useful information regarding cheese and butter, cheese and cheese spread

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