What is there not to love about cream cheese? Honestly, they might have called it ambrosia (food of the gods) if it was around during ancient Greece. Not only is cream cheese a delicious spread and dip, but it’s also a versatile ingredient in all kinds of dishes, such as casseroles. However, it’s in sweet cream cheese desserts where this creamy white heavenly food really shines.
Here is how cream cheese is made. Cheesemakers add lactic acid to cream and pasteurized milk. The acid lowers the pH of the dairy products and it forms curds. The curds are then heated, and the cheesemakers add stabilizers. You don’t have to age cream cheese as you do other cheeses, and it’s meant to be quickly consumed.
Creamy cream cheese isn’t necessarily sweet on its own, but it does enhance the sweetness and flavor of other sweet ingredients like fruits, seasonings, and chocolate.
When it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth, few ingredients are more versatile than cream cheese. Its rich and creamy texture lends itself perfectly to creating indulgent desserts that have a luxurious mouthfeel. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting to explore the world of desserts, incorporating cream cheese into your recipes will elevate your treats to the next level.
With a wide variety of cream cheese desserts to choose from, you’ll never run out of exciting options to try. From classic cheesecakes to light and fluffy mousse, there truly is something for everyone. As you embark on your creative baking journey, remember that cream cheese not only adds richness but also helps balance the overall sweetness of your dessert, making it enjoyable for all taste buds.
As you explore these delightful recipes, you will quickly become familiar with the techniques for incorporating cream cheese into your desserts, ensuring that all your creations are consistently delicious. So, grab your apron and prepare to delve into a world of delectable cream cheese desserts that are sure to impress your friends and family.
Like a movie producer, cream cheese ties all kinds of delicious ingredients together to create a blockbuster culinary experience your taste buds will never forget.
And when it comes to cream cheese dessert recipes, there’s no shortage of tempting desserts to make you ghost your personal trainer for a few days.
Best of all, many are simple cream cheese dessert recipes that require very little time to prepare.
Now, most of us are very familiar with the most popular cream cheese dessert, known as “cheesecake.” But we’ve also found many other tantalizing, easy cream cheese desserts sure to send you over the moon!
Here are 26 dreamy cream cheese desserts for your pleasure.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy no-bake cream cheese dessert, then these cheesecake parfaits are ready to report for duty!
With its distinctive red, white, and blue colors, cheesecake berry parfaits are the perfect desserts for patriotic holidays like the 4th of July and Memorial Day.
Best of all, they are quick to throw together, especially since you’ll be using premade angel food cake.
Now for the cake, you can also go with pound cake or even yellow cake, but these would impact your color scheme if that’s what you’re going for.
This layered dessert delivers spoonfuls of pure joy in every bite!
Pound cakes are desserts that have been around for quite some time. And while they are not the most popular cakes out there, their unique sweet and distinctive taste ensures they’ll never go out of fashion!
The delicious vision of the perfect pound cake is quite a sight with its soft brown crust and golden yellow inside.
The cream cheese lends to the cake’s moist texture along with the eggs and butter.
But it’s the unmistakable buttery taste, along with the sweet flavor of vanilla and spices such as lemon zest, that set this dessert in a league of its own!
As you can tell from the picture above, we’ve moved on to some serious business – chocolate cheesecake.
We don’t have to explain chocolate, especially to chocolate lovers. But when you combine the addictive taste of milk chocolate with cream cheese, it’s like smashing together two atoms.
Chocolate is usually an ingredient that takes other desserts to the next level. However, in this case, chocolate’s sharing its MVP status with a very worthy collaborator.
There is a simple trick and very cool trick to this recipe using aluminum foil and pieces of ice that produce incredible results.
Once your cheesecake is ready to serve, you’ll definitely taste the difference.
We’re keeping this cheesecake party rolling with another incredible cream cheese recipe.
No-Bake Dulce De Leche Cheesecake is a gorgeous-looking dessert, but its taste far exceeds its beauty!
Okay, folks, whoever thought of using Cinnamon Toast Crunch in a cheesecake recipe deserves a noble peace prize.
Now, looking at the picture, you probably think this cheesecake must have a lot of ingredients. Well, folks, I can tell you that this belongs in the club of cream cheese desserts with few ingredients.
How many ingredients? Try six.
That’s right, take another look at the picture. That’s only six ingredients.
And, guess what? You only need 20 minutes to prepare this cream cheese dessert.
Churros are one of our favorite Mexican desserts. However, they can be a bit tricky to make for inexperienced cooks.
However, this recipe for cinnamon and cream cheese roll-ups uses a handy hack that allows you to make dozens of delicious cream cheese-filled churros at once!
Then after a few more steps, you’ll put your finished rolls into the oven to bake for between 16 and 20 minutes.
Once you pull them out, they are ready to serve, and we can assure you that they won’t get cold – not if you and your hungry diners have anything to say about it!
Combining creamy cheesecake and ice cream into one delicious dessert, this recipe for blueberry cheesecake takes no prisoners.
The unbelievable taste of fresh blueberries, homemade cheesecake, and ice cream is enough to make you beg for mercy.
Another interesting ingredient in the recipe is whiskey. While it may sound strange, it really does add a unique dimension to this dessert’s flavor profile.
Now, if you don’t have access to fresh blueberries, you can always use canned berries. However, this will increase the sugar content and make the dish a little sweeter.
Grab some waffle ice cream cones, cups, or bowls, and you’ve got yourself a cold, creamy treat that can’t be beat!
Bugs Bunny, rabbits, Thanksgiving dinner, good eyesight, and the color orange are just a few things that come to mind for most folks when they think of carrots. However, one word that doesn’t pop into our minds is “dessert.”
However, since its humble origin as carrot pudding in Europe during the Middle Ages, carrot cake has become one of the most crave-able cakes globally, and this has a lot to do with its sweet cream cheese icing.
The combination of the earthy-sweet carrot cake and divine cream cheese frosting is a match made in heaven!
And here’s a fun fact. Did you know that when folks in Europe couldn’t afford sugar (which was very expensive) they made sweet dishes with carrots as a substitute?
It’s hard to believe that there was a time when people had no idea what strawberries tasted like with cream cheese.
Those of us who can remember the first time tasting these two things together remember a surprise that blew our minds to Timbuktu!
This recipe for strawberry cream cheese turnovers recreates this nostalgia using fresh strawberries and cream cheese to create an unforgettable filling inside a golden brown, crispy, flaky, and chewy pastry.
You’ll be turning over in bed dreaming about these delights!
Okay, at this point, no one can blame you if you demand to know “what’s going on here!?”
Well, we’ll tell you what.
It’s another chocolaty assault on your senses via this insanely decadent recipe for cream cheese swirl brownies.
Rich, chewie, moist, chocolatey brownies get the cream cheese treatment to create a Frankenstein monster-level temptation you’ll be helpless to resist.
And why would you want to resist?
Enjoy this dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or our favorite, a drizzle of melted salted caramel sauce.
When this delicious brownie is in front of you, there’s just no escape.
This recipe for softback glazed lemon cream cheese cookies packs big, bold lemon flavor into ultra-soft moist cookies thanks to the power of cream cheese!
What you’ve got is sweet-tangy cookie perfection at your fingertips and driving in the express lane to your mouth!
In the recipe, they use lemon extract and lemon zest instead of lemon juice. As a result, you get even more lemon flavor without the complications that can arise in baking from adding an acidic ingredient like lemon juice.
Also, the cream cheese serves to keep your cookies nice and moist, but you won’t taste it over your lemon flavors.
Now, folks, we all know making things from scratch is the best. However, sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to deal with a bunch of extra steps and effort, but you still want to enjoy a delicious baked dessert.
Well, this recipe for easy blackberry and cream cheese danish delivers all of the rewards from doing only a fraction of the work.
You see, instead of making the dough from scratch, you just need to pick up some premade crescent roll dough.
Once you’ve put your filling in and wrapped it up, your danish is ready for the oven and then for your plate!
And if blackberries aren’t your thing, you can substitute just about any fruit or berry such as cherry, apples, blueberry, apricot, or strawberry.
But don’t bother telling folks it took you less than 40 minutes to make this fantastic dessert because no one will believe you anyway.
If you need the perfect excuse to have chocolate for breakfast, we’ve found the perfect alibi in this recipe for double chocolate cream cheese muffins.
Even if you’re convicted in the court of public opinion. You won’t care because these warm, moist, creamy, sweet treats will set you free!
Enjoy them with your morning coffee or an afternoon or evening dessert.
Best of all, this recipe takes a total of 30 minutes to prepare and bake, with an additional 15 minutes to cool (if you can wait that long).
Something magical happens when you cross cheesecake with chocolate chip cookies. You get this incredible recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars made with real cream cheese!
Imagine a layer of sweet and creamy cream cheese sandwiched between two layers of freshly baked chocolate chip cookie dough.
No need to pinch yourself. It’s not a dream, but rather a recipe you can make in under an hour!
For a topping, you should try melted caramel and cool whip.
In this recipe, carrot cake gets a breakfast makeover becoming carrot cake doughnuts.
Of course, you can enjoy this delicious dessert anytime you please, and this recipe throws in a bit of twist – sweet and tropical pineapple.
Who would have thought carrots and pineapple would make such a fantastic tag team?
But, as excellent as this duo is, it’s the sweetened cream cheese frosting that earns this dessert the distinction of one of the most incredible donuts of all time.
Plus, this recipe uses yogurt, and the donuts are baked, not fried.
This no-bake dessert is about as easy as any recipe can get, but people will think you spend hours making these exquisitely fancy and delicious chocolate cream cheese truffles.
This recipe makes three varieties: cocoa-powdered covered, coconut covered, and chocolate sprinkle-covered truffles.
The sight of these great balls of delight makes you think you’re at one of those fancy $1,000 a plate functions and not at home curled up with a good book in your PJs.
Best of all, the total time to make 40 truffles is only 2o minutes!
While we’re on the no-bake theme, this recipe for no-bake oreo cheesecake represents another opportunity to save time and give your oven a well-deserved vacation.
Best of all, this recipe makes two cheesecakes and only uses five ingredients!
The delicious chocolaty taste of Oreos mixed in with cream cheese, cool whip, and sweetened condensed milk is so delicious it’s absurd.
The only thing with this recipe is that it requires you to refrigerate your finished dish for at least three hours before eating.
We understand if it’s a little tough waiting that long, but rest assured your patience will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!
In keeping with our ongoing no-bake theme, we have this recipe for a no-bake pineapple cream pie.
This cool and creamy dessert features a light and fluffy pineapple-flavored cheesecake pie filling on top of a thick golden graham cracker crumb crust.
Not only is this recipe easy to make, but you can also substitute the ingredients for low-fat and low-sugar options.
And not to worry, if you choose the low-fat, low-sugar options, there’s no loss in the texture or flavor!
Even something as basic as a fruit salad can benefit from a cream cheese makeover.
This recipe for lemon berry cheesecake fruit salad features a creamy lemon cheesecake filling glazed over fresh fruits and berries.
Not only does this recipe taste amazing, but it’s also packed with vitamin-rich fresh fruit flavors like strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry.
This is the perfect dessert for those watching what they eat but still want to enjoy a taste of cheesecake.
French toast is a dessert that moonlights as a breakfast food, but the mask comes off with this recipe, revealing a decadent dessert with rich and creamy flavors.
Cream cheese stuffed french toast with strawberries, and whipped cream is what every plate of French toast wishes it could be.
Every bite includes strawberries mixed with cream cheese inside a delicious golden and flavorful french toast topped with strawberries, powdered sugar, and your favorite maple syrup.
Folks, trust us, IHOP’s got nothing on this recipe.
Here’s another delicious no-bake recipe that takes creamy cheesecake to a new level.
This strawberry and cream cheesecake has everything; a creaming filling with cocoa butter that delivers a sweet white chocolate texture that sets firm.
Then it’s topped with a sweet and tangy strawberry cream that’s almost too good to be true!
You can then decorate your masterpiece with chocolate drizzle and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
This dessert is what you would call a real “head turner” at parties.
Present a new family favorite to the table with these attractive Kolaczki Cookies.
These traditional Polish cookies are made with softened cream cheese and fruit and are one of the easiest simple cream cheese recipes with few ingredients.
Now, looking at the picture above, you may be wondering, “Well, is it really a cookie? Or, a pastry?”
The answer is that they are so delicious you won’t be able to make up your mind before they’re all gone!
You make these yummy treats with cream cheese cookie dough using all kinds of sweet fillings, like strawberry, blueberry, chocolate, and cherry.
Top them with powdered sugar, and you’re ready to roll!
This is the perfect recipe for large family gatherings or parties. They take a bit more time than other desserts only because of the “chill time,” but preparation-wise, it’s only 10 minutes with a 15 minute cook time.
You don’t have to travel all the way to the Big Easy to enjoy a taste of Mardi Gras. This recipe for King Cake with Cream Cheese Dough will make your tastebuds feel like they are in a parade!
The dough is made with cream cheese, giving the cinnamon-flavored bread a moist, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It also has a delicious cream cheese filling, and the outside is covered in a rich, creamy cream cheese frosting with tiny colored sugar sprinkles.
Now, we have to admit. This is probably one of the more challenging recipes out there. However, all your efforts will pay off big time once you take your first bite into this delicious pastry.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
