Easy Cherry Cream Cheese Bars - easy and delicious dessert recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with too much cream cheese? ›

While cream cheese is high in fat and calories, it also contains essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin A, and protein. Consuming cream cheese in moderation can be part of a healthy diet, especially if you choose lower-fat varieties or pair it with nutritious foods like whole-grain bread and fresh vegetables.

Cream cheese is fine to feed to dogs but choose the plain varieties. Any cream cheese with garlic, onion, or chives must be avoided as the allium family of plants is toxic to dogs. Cottage cheese is one of the best options as it has a lower fat content and less salt. Blue cheese must never be fed to dogs.

It makes icebox pie fillings smooth, cake frostings and drizzles creamy, and baked goods more tender. Whether you're stirring up a batch of brownies or frosting a three-layer red velvet cake, cream cheese is ready to come to the rescue.

Cream cheese is “set” or hardened by acid produced in the cream. Since it firms more with time, it gradually “squeezes” liquid out of it. Not water but a mix of water, salt, natural acid etc. This happens in all cc, sooner or later.

Microbial action: Cream cheese production involves the addition of lactic acid bacteria, which can react with other components of the cheese and cause it to turn pink. If this is the case, the cheese can still be safely consumed.

Cream cheese that has been continuously refrigerated can last for several weeks. “Cream cheese packages that haven't been opened can be used for up to two to three weeks past their best by date,” Edwards says. “Once opened, it's best to use cream cheese within ten days.

While cream cheese may not last long in the fridge, you can freeze it for up to two months. To use frozen cream cheese, thaw it in the fridge overnight or defrost it in the microwave. Previously frozen cream cheese will still have the same flavor as its refrigerated counterpart, but its texture may be grainy.

Can you freeze Philadelphia cream cheese? ›

Unopened cream cheese can go straight in the freezer in its original packaging. The foil wrapping and cardboard box provides more than enough protection from freezer burn. Frozen cream cheese is best kept in the freezer for up to two months.

According to the USDA, refrigerated cream cheese is safe to eat for up to two weeks after opening. However, it will retain its flavor and quality for just a week to 10 days. The flavor will noticeably degrade after this point, as it starts to lose its sweet tanginess and takes on a dull taste, instead.

"Cream cheese can be frozen, but the texture will change and may become grainy—which may affect the texture of the end product. From a food safety point, it is fine, but the integrity of the product will change once frozen," says Lynn Blanchard, Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen director.