I Ranked 9 Brands Of Store-Bought Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is one of the most versatile dairy products we can reach for in the refrigerator case. Of course, in its purest form, cream cheese is perfect when simply spread on a bagel. But it is also an indispensable ingredient in so many recipes as well. Whether it is incorporated into a savory dip for game day or baked into a decadent cheesecake for a holiday dessert, cream cheese offers a backbone to countless recipes. 

Not any mild, fresh cheese that's silky and smooth can be called cream cheese. For a product to qualify as cream cheese according to the United States Food and Drug Administration, it must contain at least 33% fat and have a moisture content of 55% or less. Given these parameters, there isn't a lot of wiggle room to create a distinction between manufacturers. All of the products sampled during this taste test were made with the same basic ingredients such as pasteurized milk and cream, salt, and cheese culture, with differences from brand to brand in terms of what additives were used to give the cream cheese the consistency we expect. Most products use gums such as carob bean gum, xanthan gum, or guar gum. 

To get to the bottom of these differences, I sampled and ranked each product based on flavor, spreadability, and value. With so many ways to use cream cheese, this ranking should come in handy next time you're at the store. Let's get to it!

Dutch Farms has been a family-owned dairy company since it was founded in 1987. Retailing for only $1.69 for an 8-ounce package, this was the lowest priced product in my grocery store dairy case. While I did like the great price point, I wasn't as impressed with the product. The cream cheese had a gummy quality coming out of the package. However, it did exhibit a smooth spreading consistency on top of the bagel. The ingredient list includes, pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, guar gum, xanthan gum, carob bean gum.

This product is mostly about what you don't notice. There isn't a strong or distinct flavor profile. To some that might make it boring, to others it might indicate that this product is a blank slate for use in a recipe. Personally, I would reach for this brand in a recipe where the product is a vehicle for creaminess rather than the star ingredients; I think it would be fantastic in jalapeño poppers. When it comes to ranking it, though, some standout qualities would've helped. 

Crystal Farms is a dairy company founded by two Russian immigrants with histories tracing back to the 1920s and '30s.. This package of cream cheese retails for $2.39, which is an average price point in comparison to others in this market space.

Upon opening the package for the taste test I noticed a bit of an oilier texture. The ingredient list was similar to most cream cheeses, but included more gum additives than others. I noted the use of guar gum, xanthan gum, and carob bean gum. The cream cheese spread well and had a mild flavor, profile with almost a buttery taste to it. I found this one to be a little on the saltier side in comparison to others I tried. Given that observation, I might reach for Crystal Farms when I know I am using it in a savory preparation. In fact, cream cheese can be a hidden weapon when you want to up your meatball game. That said, the saltiness is the kind of noticeable quality that gets you pulled down a bit in a ranking like this, so No. 8 it is.

The cream cheese from Yoder's fell right in the middle of the road in terms of both price and taste. At $2.29 it wasn't the cheapest option, nor was it at the high end of the spectrum. Personally, I would rather spend a dollar or so more for a higher ranking cream cheese on this list. 

In terms of texture, this product was creamy and spreadable, but a bit sticky when trying to remove the block from the packaging. When I am making a recipe, I like the block of cream cheese to unwrap easily and fall right into the mixing bowl without much effort or scraping, but that wasn't the case here. Looking at the ingredient list, I noted the use of a combination of guar gum, carob bean gum, and xanthan gum. These thickeners are used to enhance the texture of products like cream cheese, however in this instance the use of all these gums at the same time resulted in the product adhering to the wrapper. Naturally, I think this cream cheese would serve well as a thickener to highlight tje creamy properties of the cheese, like in a rich cauliflower cream cheese soup. The flavor didn't exactly pull enough weight here, though, bringing this down a peg or two. Not the worst, but a little too thick to best the best.

Dairy Fresh is a brand that has been around for over 90 years, with a focus on value; its parent company, Lipari Foods, aims to offer "National brand value at a friendlier price." I purchased this block of cream cheese for $2.29, which was on the lower end, but not the least expensive option in the market — so, goal at least partially accomplished. Similar to other brands the ingredient list on this product includes pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, guar gum, carob bean gum, xanthan gum.

This is a fine, down-the-middle cream cheese and there's not much else to say — the texture is fine, the flavor is fine. This brand works as an everyday staple to keep on hand in your refrigerator, though based on its ranking position, you know I think you can do better. Use it as a spread or an ingredient alternative, like subbing it in for mayo when using canned tuna.

Food Club is the generic house brand at my local grocery store, and over and over again, I have found the price point to be very competitive without sacrificing quality and flavor. This is also true of the Food Club cream cheese. At $1.99 for the 8-ounce block, this was just 30 cents away from being the cheapest option in the dairy case. However, in comparison to what was the least expensive option, the Food Club product was definitely superior. That tells me that I can still save money compared to other brands but without compromising on taste. I'd say the Food Club option gave the even the biggest name brands a run for their money. 

The ingredient list was familiar, with this cream cheese containing pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, guar gum, xanthan gum, carob bean gum. However, in terms of flavor, I liked this product more than others I had tasted. There was still that watery and sticky nature when I opened the package, but I liked the slight tang and subtle saltiness to the cheese without it being overpowering. I think this product would be fantastic for whipping up some mini cheesecakes for dessert.

Tillamook's cream cheese was distinctly different from the others on this list for one main reason: It was incredibly creamy. Upon closer look, I figured out why. This Oregon-based brand is famous for using more cream to achieve a higher-than-required level of milk fat — in fact, it is written right there on the back of the package. We know the FDA requires cream cheese to be at least 33% milk fat, so Tillamook exceeded that number, though it's unclear by how much. The result, however, is a cream cheese with a not only a difference in texture, but also the strongest flavor of the bunch. It was quite tart and tangy, almost like Greek yogurt. 

Another unique aspect is is that Tillamook cream cheese does not contain any gums or preservatives — only cultured pasteurized milk and cream, pasteurized skim milk, and sea salt. For anyone looking to remove additives from their diet, this cream cheese is the right choice for you. At $3.99 for the package, it was more expensive than many on this list. However, if you like a very creamy product with more pronounced flavor profile, this is the cream cheese for you. It's the kind of cream cheese that is ideal on its own, simply spread on a bagel and savored. 

Prairie Farms is one of my top choices when purchasing milk, so it's no surprise that I really enjoy its cream cheese product as well. This brand has been locally owned by farm families since 1938 and I feel that you can taste that farmers take pride in the products they bring to market. 

The block of Prairie Farms' original cream cheese sells for $2.29, which is an incredible price considering that this is an award-winning cream cheese. Prairie Farms was the first place winner at the 2024 World Dairy Expo in this category, and upon tasting, I could see why.

I loved the rich texture from the moment I opened the package and I appreciated that it didn't have an overly sticky quality I had experienced over and over again in this taste test. The flavor was an ideal balance of tang, salt, and a slight hit of sweetness. It was a little watery in the package, which is probably the only hesitation I had with ranking this any higher on the list. If Prairie Farms products are available in your area, it's a brand you can feel comfortable purchasing knowing that you are getting a quality product for a fair price — and its cream cheese is a perfect example of that.

Organic Valley is the only certified organic cream cheese I sampled during this taste test. It also boasts using milk from pasture-raised cows and is a non-GMO product. At $3.99 it was one of the most expensive cream cheeses in the dairy case, but it was also one of my favorites. It is not a surprise that this cream cheese was on the more expensive side because consumers typically pay more for certified organic products. In this situation, I think it is money well spent. 

I found the cream cheese to have a perfectly spreadable texture and a smooth, buttery flavor. The dairy used in making this cream cheese comes from cows that are grazing at pasture, and I feel that made the flavor of this final product even richer. I also noticed on the ingredient list that Organic Valley uses locust bean gum, which is a different gum than I saw in other products. Perhaps this small ingredient difference was another reason why this product was distinctly superior to others. With a high-quality cream cheese like this one, I would like to find ways to use it in recipes where the cheese could really shine, ideally in a recipe like no-bake dark chocolate Oreo cheesecake. But you'd do well spreading this one, too — the flavor and texture are on point for any application.

Philadelphia cream cheese is an icon for a reason. This brand invented what we know as American-style cream cheese in the United States and ultimately, it's the best of the best on the market. From the first scoop, the texture was perfect. It released easily from the packaging, it wasn't watery or greasy, and it spread perfectly. Of course Philadelphia cream cheese also has that classic flavor that I instantly recognized. There was a slight saltiness, its signature cheese culture tang, and subtle sweetness that makes this product a classic. 

The Philadelphia cream cheese brand was founded in 1872, not in Pennsylvania, but in New York City. At that time, the Philadelphia area was associated with high quality food and the name stuck. Even today, this brand is the gold standard in terms of what cream cheese is supposed to be. At $2.99 per block, the price is in the middle compared to the rest of the options listed here, but its superiority as a product makes this one the best overall value. There isn't really anything bad to say here. This is the kind of perfect cream cheese that makes me want to use it in a way that highlights its ideal texture and flavor, like in a cream cheese frosted red velvet cake. It might feel cliche to opt for the most famous brand, but in this (refrigerator) case, it's warranted.

This taste test and ranking was right up my alley, because I come from a long line of dairy farmers. In fact, my family has an organic dairy farm in Finland. In addition, my first job in high school was working at a bagel chain, serving bagels and schmear for an entire summer. Plus, I lived in New York City for many years, where an affinity for high quality bagels and cream cheese is ingrained in the culture. 

For the purposes of the taste test, I only selected brands selling a regular, full-fat cream cheese product. All of the samples needed to be plain, without any flavor additions, and come in a block-style, 8-ounce package — no low-fat, alternative, or whipped cream cheeses were considered here.

Each cream cheese was spread on a bagel for sampling. To determine their ranking position, I analyzed the taste, texture, and overall value of each product, as well as their suitability for different recipes and applications.