Four Ways to Quickly Soften Cream Cheese

This is a crucial step to take when you are making a cream cheese recipe. Use cold cream cheese in any recipe, be it for frosting, cheesecake, batter or cake, to avoid a lumpy texture.

Christopher Arturo, chef-instructor on the Institute of Culinary EducationIt takes around one hour to soften cream-cheese.

But what if it’s not possible to retrieve the item in time and you don’t have the time? Here are some tips to speed things up.

Put it on a plate

Cubing cream cheese in smaller pieces will speed up the process if you prefer to soften it on the counter.

You can heat the cream cheese more easily by dicing it up. This will soften the cream within 30 minutes.

The foil and carton packaging should be removed from the cream cheese. Slice the block into 1-inch cubes. Place it on a plate on top of the countertop for softening.

Use a stand mixer to mix it.

Arturo claims that the stand mixer method is the best for softening cream cheese when you don’t have enough time to let it sit on top of the bowl. It takes just 5 minutes.

Use the paddle attachment of your stand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Scrape the sides with a spatula, if necessary,

“This will make the cream cheese super smooth, which is amazing for baking, while aerating it slightly,”He said. Another benefit? Another bonus? You can easily mix cream cheese with other ingredients for a recipe.

Make sure you use the paddle attachment and not the whisk. “Cold cream cheese will easily bend the whisk,”Arturo.

It will appreciate a warm bath in the hot water.

It takes about 15 minutes to thaw cream cheese in warm water. This is safer than using the microwave method.

Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and remove it from the carton. Make sure the foil packaging isn’t damaged. You don’t want water getting in.

Put the wrapped cream cheese into a bowl. Fill the bowl with warm water. This method does not require boiling water. Allow the cream cheese to soak in the water for 15 minutes.

Use the microwave

Microwave is one of the fastest ways to soften cream cheese. It takes just a minute.

Be careful with cream cheese and be sure to keep an eye on it. Even a few seconds could cause the cream cheese melt or to separate.

You can soften cream cheese in a microwave by removing the block of cream from the carton. Microwave the cream cheese in 10-second increments on a plate until it is softened.

Insider’s Takeaway

It can be a hassle to soften cream cheese, especially when you are eager to start a new recipe. However, it can make a huge difference in creating creamy, smooth texture.

You can take cream cheese out from the fridge and let it cool in the refrigerator, but you can also speed up the process by using methods like microwaving, whipping in a stand mixer, or submerging in warm water to make it smoother.