mascarpone

American  

[mas-kahr-poh-nee, mos-kahr-poh-ney, mos-kahr-pohn] / ˌmæs kɑrˈpoʊ ni, ˌmɒs kɑrˈpoʊ neɪ, ˌmɒs kɑrˈpoʊn /

noun

1. a very soft Italian cream cheese made from cow's milk.

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mascarpone British  

/ ˌmæskəˈpəʊnɪ /

noun

1. a soft Italian cream cheese

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Etymology

Origin of mascarpone

First recorded in 1900–05; from Lombard Italian; augmentative of mascarpa, mascherpa, a kind of ricotta cheese; further origin uncertain

Compare meaning

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

• mascarpone vs. cream cheese
• mascarpone vs. ricotta

Example Sentences

Crisp cookies soften into clouds of lightly sweetened cream, layered with jam or mascarpone, until the whole thing collapses just enough to make slicing with a butter knife feel like a small act of rebellion.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

A superstar in French cuisine, tonka has also made its fair share of cameos on “Bake Off,” notably in an apricot compote and a mascarpone cream paired with a ginger, fig and honey pudding.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

Folding in a bit of mascarpone or Greek yogurt adds a subtle tang and makes the whipped cream behave like frosting in a better mood.

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2025

When creating her stunning passionfruit and guava mascarpone tart, Velez used the cheese to “combat and mellow out” the common pitfalls of fruit-heavy desserts: “cloying sweetness and lip-puckering sourness.”

From Salon • May 24, 2025

In the mornings she went to a deli and bought a baguette and little containers of things Dev liked to eat, like pickled herring, and potato salad, and tortes of pesto and mascarpone cheese.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri