Cream cheese has always been my best delicacy. Whether taken plain or on the bagels, cream cheese has always been amazing.

I am more than 100% sure that this is the same case for most of you who are reading this. Probably to you, a buffet is complete only if it has a variety of cheese delicacies which have been prepared with a lot of expertise and care.

Cream cheese which is still stored in a plastic container and sealed with a foil, flavored or not flavored can last for a maximum of four weeks in a refrigerator.

If you place it in a freezer, for two months it will still be good.

Some of us would love to have our cream cheese always available at our disposal. This will mean that we will have to buy a lot of cream cheese and keep it in our houses.

While this is a good idea, there is also the possibility of the cream cheese going bad if left to sit out for a long time.

It is therefore very important to know the answer to the question, “how long can cream cheese sit out?” Well, why don’t we try solving this puzzle together?

Does Cream Cheese Get Spoilt?

All dairy products do get spoilt. Cream cheese is one of them since it has milk as one of its ingredients. After the ‘sell by’ date reaches, cream cheese is safe for use for another one month if it is still sealed and a fortnight if it has been opened.

Cream cheese made from pasteurized milk, with less amount of moisture does not get spoil fast. If the cream cheese is acidic in nature then it will also not get spoilt faster.

This is because the nature of such cream cheese does not encourage the growth of bacteria. Examples of such are Cheddar, Swiss and Gouda. These are defined as the hard aged cheese.

The amount of time that cream cheese can last before getting spoilt depends on whether it has been refrigerated or stored at room temperature. If stored in a place with temperatures which are more than the recommended, it will spoil very fast.

A cream cheese having a lot of moisture will be more perishable. The situation may worsen if it has not ripened enough.

How Long Can Cream Cheese Sit Out? What Is The Recommended Time For Cream Cheese To Sit On The Shelf?

Certain determinants do affect how long your cream cheese will stay before it gets spoilt. Some of these determinants are such as: for how long it has been stored, where it has been stored, the date when it was packed, and how much it has been exposed to heat.

Cream cheese which is still stored in a plastic container and sealed with a foil, flavored or not flavored can last for a maximum of four weeks in a refrigerator. If you place it in a freezer, for two months it will still be good.

If you have some Neufchatel cheese, its expiry date will be different. Its calories are by one-third fewer than those in regular cream cheese.

In a freezer, it can last up to two months and two to three weeks in the fridge. When your cream cheese is already opened; its shelf life will reduce. If you place it in a refrigerator, it can last for two weeks while still in a good state.

For How Long Can Cream Cheese Sit Out At Room Temperature?

Before taking some frosting or cheese cakes, we normally thaw and keep them at room temperature to give them time to soften up.

If you had frozen yours it will take a longer time, say up to two hours. If your frosting had been refrigerated, the time it will take to soften up will be about several minutes.

At room temperature, take your cream cheese after one-two hours of exposure to room temperature.

Also, cream cheese which has been on the counter for half a day or whole hour is still perfect for consumption, provided that the temperatures are not too warm and neither is the humidity too much.

With good air conditioning in a room, cheese can last for five to six hours.

Handling Leftover Cheese

Cream cheese, like all other perishable foods, can be left out for two hours at most. Handling leftover cream cheese is a different issue altogether as it depends on the type of cheese.

• If the type of cheese in question is the soft type such as camembert and brie, it should be discarded after it has been out for two hours.
• For hard types such as the Gouda, Swiss and cheddar, you can use a foil to wrap it after it has dried up and place it either in a refrigerator or a freezer as it awaits another day of making a delicacy.

Determining if your Cream Cheese is Still Good or if it is spoilt

Telling if your cream cheese is still good is easy. First, you can check the expiry date. If your cream cheese has indicators of being spoilt, discard it even before the expiry date is due.

The texture and smell of your cream cheese can also make you aware of whether your cheese is good or not. If it is still good, it will have a smooth and silky feel and a light cream color. Its smell is sweet and milky and spreads quite easily.

Spoilt cream cheese has a watery and lumpy appearance. Its smell and taste is sour, and its color changes slightly. Also, the appearance of molds as well as a moldy smell and taste, are an indicator that your cream cheese is no longer suitable for consumption.

Moldy cream cheese will have green, yellow or black discoloration. Do not cut off the part with some color change and consume the rest of the cream cheese. It is better if you discarded all of it.

You had better-lacked cheese in your house, rather than risk getting members of your household stand the risk of food poisoning or some other serious illness.

Conclusion For Information About “How Long Can Cream Cheese Sit Out?”

Cream cheese is one highly perishable commodity because it has milk as one of its ingredients. You need to store it at low temperatures, in a freezer or a refrigerator when you are not using it at that particular time.

Be cautious to not any indicators that your cheese is no longer good for consumption and discard it with immediate effect.

Before purchasing your cream cheese, check the expiry dates as well as the ‘sell by’ dates just to be sure that you are getting a fresh product with which you will make healthy food for your family.

Also, having fresh ingredients as you prepare your delicacies is a better idea. Make it a habit to buy your cheese when you intend to use it. This helps a great deal in preventing spoilage.

If this article has been of importance to you, share it with others who would be interested in knowing “how long can cream cheese sit out?”If you are a cream cheese lover, leave a comment and let us know your favorite dish that has cream cheese as an ingredient.