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

I studied the pastries while pretending not to listen: tea-infused buns knotted with candied citrus, laminated pastry layered with spiced cream cheese, craggy oat muffins dotted with boysenberry preserves.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

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

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

Mondelez, which also produces Philadelphia cream cheese, Ritz crackers and triangular chocolate Toblerone, continues to operate in Ukraine although the conflict is never far away.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Two cream cheese and marmalade sandwiches lay wrapped in napkins by Camilla’s plate.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt