Cream Cheese vs Ricotta Cheese

Q: Is Cream Cheese the same as Ricotta Cheese?

No. Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheese are distinct cheeses from United States and Italy respectively. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Cream Cheese for Ricotta Cheese?

In most recipes you can swap Cream Cheese for Ricotta Cheese, though the result will shift in richness and milk character.

Q: Which should I choose, Cream Cheese or Ricotta Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Cream Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

Cream Cheese is a fresh soft, processed cow-milk cheese from United States, while Ricotta Cheese is soft, moist and made from cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Cream Cheese?

Cream cheese is a soft, mild fresh cheese made from milk and cream, sold unripened rather than aged. It began in Chester, New York in the 1870s and is best known as the spread on a bagel.

What Is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from the leftover whey of sheep, cow, goat, or water buffalo milk cheesemaking. The fresh curds are creamy white and slightly sweet, and they turn up in cannoli and cheesecakes as readily as in lasagne and ravioli.

What's the Difference Between Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheese?

Origin: Cream Cheese (United States), Ricotta Cheese (Italy)
Milk type: Cream Cheese (cow's milk), Ricotta Cheese (cow's, goat's, sheep's or water buffalo's milk)
Milk treatment: Cream Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized), Ricotta Cheese (Whey)
Texture: Cream Cheese (fresh soft, processed), Ricotta Cheese (Soft, moist)
Rind: Cream Cheese (rindless), Ricotta Cheese (None)
Aging: Cream Cheese (unripened, eaten fresh), Ricotta Cheese (Fresh)
Taste: Cream Cheese (creamy, mild, sweet), Ricotta Cheese (Sweet, slightly creamy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Cream Cheese	Ricotta Cheese
Country of Origin	United States	Italy
Specific Origin	Chester, New York, The U.S.	Italy
Milk Type	Cow's milk	Cow's, goat's, sheep's or water buffalo's milk
Milk Treatment	Pasteurized or unpasteurized	Whey
Texture	Fresh soft, processed	Soft, moist
Rind	Rindless	None
Aging	Unripened, eaten fresh	Fresh
Taste	Creamy, mild, sweet	Sweet, slightly creamy

Pairing Comparison

What works with each cheese: wines, foods, breads and more.

	Cream Cheese	Ricotta Cheese
Pairs well with	Ginger, Salmon, Seaweed, Shrimp, Cod, Green Tea	Fruit Compote, Pumpkin, Albariño, Apricot, Asti Spumante, Bresaola, Honey, Honeycomb, Kiwi, Mangoes, Pesto, Raspberry and more

Taste Comparison: Does Cream Cheese Taste Like Ricotta Cheese?

Cream Cheese reads as creamy, mild, sweet, while Ricotta Cheese brings sweet, slightly creamy character. On the nose, Cream Cheese offers fresh, pleasant, contrasted with Ricotta Cheese's mild. Aging plays into this as well. Cream Cheese at unripened, eaten fresh develops a different profile than Ricotta Cheese at fresh.

Can You Substitute Cream Cheese for Ricotta Cheese?

Cream Cheese can stand in for Ricotta Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fresh soft, processed bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, moist. Flavor-wise, Cream Cheese reads as creamy, mild, sweet while Ricotta Cheese brings sweet, slightly creamy notes.

Which Is Better, Cream Cheese or Ricotta Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fresh soft, processed cheese, go with Cream Cheese. For a soft, moist profile, Ricotta Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cream Cheese suits recipes that want creamy, mild, sweet notes, while Ricotta Cheese fits dishes calling for sweet, slightly creamy.

Which is your favorite?

One click, anonymous. See what others chose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cream Cheese the same as Ricotta Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cream Cheese originates in United States, while Ricotta Cheese comes from Italy. Cream Cheese is made from cow milk; Ricotta Cheese uses cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo. Aging also differs: Cream Cheese is typically aged unripened, eaten fresh, Ricotta Cheese fresh.

Is Cream Cheese similar to Ricotta Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Cream Cheese for Ricotta Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Cream Cheese taste like Ricotta Cheese?

Cream Cheese reads as creamy, mild, sweet, while Ricotta Cheese is sweet, slightly creamy. Aromas also diverge. Cream Cheese leans fresh, pleasant, and Ricotta Cheese is closer to mild.

What is Cream Cheese made of?

Cream Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized), using animal (chymosin, pepsin, rennet) in canada rennet. It's typically aged unripened, eaten fresh. It originates in United States.

What is Ricotta Cheese made of?

Ricotta Cheese is made from cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo milk (whey), using animal or microbial rennet. It's typically aged fresh. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Cream Cheese or Ricotta Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cream Cheese is fresh soft, processed, while Ricotta Cheese is soft, moist.