cream cheese

American  

noun

cream cheeses plural

1. a soft, white, smooth-textured, unripened, spreadable cheese made of sweet milk and sometimes cream.

2. Gulf States. cottage cheese.

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cream cheese British  

noun

1. a smooth soft white cheese made from soured cream or milk

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Regionalisms

See cottage cheese.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cream cheeses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cream cheese

First recorded in 1575–85

Compare meaning

How does cream-cheese compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mascarpone vs. cream cheese
• cottage cheese vs. cream cheese

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cream cheese

Ten Kraft Heinz brands will be part of the deal, including Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese, the companies said in a statement Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

When my neck shrine was finally finished, it was pronounced "exquisite" and left to dry, while salt beef and cream cheese beigels arrived from nearby Brick Lane.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Paramount Caviar’s kosher salmon roe adds a delicious salty, briny pop to deviled eggs, hash browns with whipped cream cheese and dill, or toast points with crème fraîche.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

It was gooey, soft and slathered in a classic tangy cream cheese frosting.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

“Probably Israel was just being nice,” Bat interjected, “to make you feel better about bringing cream cheese sandwiches to school every day. He probably didn’t really want your sandwich.”

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold