There are countless recipes that call for cream cheese, and almost all of them require it to be softened or at room temperature. It's a small detail that can be easy to overlook and tempting to ignore, but the fact is doing so can ruin your final product.
Whether you're following a cheesecake recipe or baking a batch of pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting, it's crucial to soften cream cheese so it blends easily, creating a smooth, creamy, and lump-free texture. But, because leaving any dairy product out for too long can risk spoiling, that begs the question: How do you soften cream cheese quickly?
Every home cook and baker should know how to soften cream cheese without risking spoilage. And luckily, there's not one but three ways to do so that take anywhere from an hour to just one minute! Read on for step-by-step instructions for each method.
How to Soften Cream Cheese on the Countertop
Total time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Perhaps the easiest and the most tried-and-true method for softening cream cheese is leaving it out on the countertop. If you leave it in a large block, it will take about an hour. But, the smaller the pieces, the faster it will come to room temperature.
- Remove the cream cheese from its packaging.
- To speed up the process, cut the block of cheese into equal-sized cubes.
- Cover the cream cheese with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Poke the cream cheese with your finger to determine if it is soft. If it is not, check back every five minutes until you reach your desired consistency.
How to Soften Cream Cheese in Warm Water
Total time: 10 to 15 mins
A bowl of warm water can soften your cream cheese even faster than leaving it on the counter. This method is especially useful if you're making a recipe that calls for an entire 8-ounce block of cream cheese.
- Remove the cardboard packaging but keep the cream cheese sealed in the foil wrapper.
- Submerge the sealed cream cheese block in some warm water and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping every five minutes or so.
- After each flip, lightly poke the wrapper to check for firmness before proceeding with the next five-minute interval.
How to Soften Cream Cheese in the Microwave
Total time: 1 minute
The magic of the microwave knows no bounds and that also includes softening cream cheese in a mere minute. But be careful to check it often because it's very easy to accidentally melt your cream cheese. That said, although this is arguably the riskiest method to soften cream cheese, it's definitely the quickest especially if you're in a pinch.
- Unwrap your cream cheese from both the cardboard and foil wrapper.
- Put the block of cream cheese on a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high in 10-second increments.
- Check for desired softness constantly after each increment to ensure it does not melt.
