cream cheese leftovers

Make no-bake cheesecakes or parfaits. Mix the cream cheese with a bit of sour cream or full fat yogurt, layer in a glass or serving dish with cookies of choice (chocolate, graham cracker, biscotti) and best ripe fruit in your markets. Gild the lily with some liqueur to echo the fruit or cookie flavors.

My mother made cream cheese cookies with the odd bits of cream cheese we'd have on occasion. This is from her files from many decades ago. I have no attribution in my records. Most likely it's from either an early version of The Joy of Cooking or from "Woman's Day" or "Family Circle" magazine. The dough can easily be made by hand - we were not allowed to use the hand mixer until we reached a certain height, and I remember making these just using a big spoon, many times. The key of course is for the butter and cream cheese to be soft.


3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar + a tablespoon for sprinkling on top
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups AP flour

Pinch of ground cinnamon


Cream butter with the cream cheese. Add sugar; beat hard until thoroughly blended and the dough seems light both in texture and in color.
Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the flour.

Chill the dough for 2 - 3 hours or overnight, or up to 3 days.

When you plan to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the 1 tablespoon of sugar with the cinnamon. Keep the dough refrigerated until you're ready actually to shape them.

Shape the dough into 1" balls. Use a juice glass to press them sort of flat (not all the way). Sprinkle each cookie with a bit of cinnamon sugar. (You can also leave them plain and then drizzle royal icing over them when fully cooled.)

Bake for 15 minutes or until barely brown around the edges. Cool on the sheet for 4-5 minutes before allowing fully to cool on a wire rack.

NB: Mother also used this dough in a cookie press to make Spritz cookies during the Christmas holidays. She often added lemon peel or orange peel. We never iced them when using the press. ;o)

I love cream cheese in omelets - especially with bacon - and it's a great way to use up the last little bits.

Chop olives, stir into the cream cheese with a bit of softened butter (yes, it sounds like overkill but it gives the spread such a nice flavor!) and spread on toasted or grilled artisanal bread to make a dinner-worthy tartine.

This is also excellent on ordinary sandwich bread - the briny olives bring out the sweetness in the cream cheese. This was my favorite sandwich as a teenager. ;o)

Beat the cream cheese with some sour cream or plain greek yogurt and sugar, to top fresh berries.

I have done this before, in fact our mom use to make this for us a treat. Whip the cream cheese with powdered sugar and cocoa. We'd have it on saltines or graham crackers, depending on what mom had on hand. To this day I love it!

I have done this before, in fact our mom use to make this for us a treat. Whip the cream cheese with powdered sugar and cocoa. We'd have it on saltines or graham crackers, depending on what mom had on hand. To this day I love it!