Instant Pot Homemade Cream Cheese

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This Instant Pot Homemade Cream Cheese is so creamy, easy, fresh and delicious you will never want to buy it again. 

Instant Pot Cream Cheese in a Mason Jar with slices of lemon.

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Homemade Cream Cheese is so smart. Sometimes you need cream cheese for a recipe and you do not have any. This clever hack will allow you to make it quick, it is already at room temperature and you control the quality of the ingredients.

Ever wonder what the history of cream cheese is? Check this out.

  • 30 Minute: Less than thirty minutes
  • Easy Ingredients: 3 Ingredients
  • Adaptable: Can make it low-fat, sodium free, no preservatives.

What You Need to Make Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  • milk
  • lemon juice
  • salt
Instant Pot with milk and ingredients to make cream cheese ont he side.

Equipment

How to Make Instant Pot Cream Cheese – Step by Step

Instant pot with three shots of making cream cheese and the final product in a bowl.
  • Pour: First, in instant pot, pour in milk and lemon juice.
  • Cook: Second, set instant pot for 6 minutes on low pressure.
  • Release: Next, naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then release any other pressure manually.
  • Stir: Then stir, curds should have separated from milk leaving whey.
A top shot of cream cheese in a food processor and the final finished product.
  • Strain:  Place a cheese cloth over a strainer and remove the curds with a slotted spoon or spider spoon. Place the curds on the cheese cloth and then cool.
  • Squeeze: Once cooled, wrap the cloth and squeeze the curds until dry.
  • Smooth: Finally, place the cheese curds in a food processor and blend until smooth. Salt to taste.

LOOKING FOR MORE HOMEMADE STAPLES? TRY THESE FAVORITES:

Looking for more?  Check out all of the Instant Pot Recipes on It Is a Keeper.

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Common Questions About Instant Pot Cream Cheese

HOW DO I STORE HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

LOW FAT?

Of course, make with a low fat yogurt.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED OR HALVED?

Definitely, just adjust the recipe accordingly.

RECIPE BE FROZEN?

Sure, but it does change the texture, just like store bought cream cheese.

WHAT TO MAKE WITH THIS HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE

>Instant Pot Cheesecake
>Cream Cheese Cookies
>Slow Cooker Corn Dip

Instant Pot Cream Cheese in a Mason Jar with slices of lemon.

Expert Tips for Making Homemade Cream Cheese

  • Add Fruit: Great to smear on your favorite bagel or to dip your favorite cookie.
  • Herbs: This is great to add fresh garlic and herbs to make a fabulous dip.
  • Variation tip: Feel free to add as many tips as you need in this section.
  • Fat Bombs: Wonderful for using to make Fat Bombs. The ingredients are so clean and fresh.

⭐⭐⭐ RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐⭐⭐

If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the comment section below.

Instant Pot Cream Cheese in a Mason Jar with slices of lemon.
4.86 from 27 votes

Instant Pot Cream Cheese

Yield: 2 cups
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 26 minutes
Total: 41 minutes
This Instant Pot Homemade Cream Cheese is so creamy, easy, fresh and delicious you will never want to buy it again. 
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 8 cups of milk
  • 6 tbsp of lemon juice
  • Dash of salt, optional

Instructions

  • In instant pot, pour in milk and lemon juice. Give it a little stir.
  • Close the lid, seal the pressure valve and set instant pot for 6 minutes on low pressure.
  • Once finished, allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then release any other pressure manually.
  • Stir result. Curds should have separated from milk leaving whey.
  • Place a cheese cloth over a strainer and remove the curds with a slotted spoon or spider spoon. Place the curds on the cheese cloth and let the curds come to room temp.
  • Once cooled, wrap the cloth and squeeze the curds until dry.
  • For smooth creamy cream cheese, place the cheese curds in a food processor and blend until smooth. This is the point you would add salt to taste and or other flavor options.

Expert Tips

  • Add Fruit: Great to smear on your favorite bagel or to dip your favorite cookie.
  • Herbs: This is great to add fresh garlic and herbs to make a fabulous dip.
  • Variation tip: Feel free to add as many tips as you need in this section.
  • Fat Bombs: Wonderful for using to make Fat Bombs. The ingredients are so clean and fresh.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 1335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 1584IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 1106mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Other
Cuisine: American

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11 thoughts on “Instant Pot Homemade Cream Cheese”

  1. This burned in my instant pot. It was set for low pressure for 6 minutes. Didn’t even cook for one minute and it was burnt. 🙁

    Reply
    • I have made this recipe several times and never had that problem. I do not know if it is your instant pot. The only thing I can think of is that it cooked it at high not low.

      Reply
    • This has never happened to me. The Instant Pot should be set to low pressure. That is key. You can definitely try adding a little milk.

      Reply
    • Same thing happened to me. I wonder if it was because I used fresh squeezed lemon juice? I did use low pressure. I added back some whey while blending.

      Reply

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