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Home Recipes by Type Breakfast and Brunch

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Cheese

4.60
/5
5 minutes mins
35 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 11/04/2011Updated: 11/07/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This vanilla bean whipped cream cheese is perfect on a bagel, english muffin, or your morning toast! And it's so easy to make! 

Vanilla bean whipped cream cheese is perfect on a bagel, English muffin, or your morning toast. It’s so easy to make! 

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Whipped cream cheese is so light and delicious but not overly sweet. You can sweeten it to your taste.

How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: electric mixer, mixing bowl
Servings: 16 (about 2 tablespoons each)

Vanilla bean whipped cream cheese in a square bowl.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About This Recipe
  • 3 What You’ll Need
  • 4 FAQs
  • 5 How To Serve This Cream Cheese Spread
  • 6 Make It Your Own
  • 7 Storage Tips
  • 8 Get the Recipe: Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Cheese

What do you like to eat for breakfast? Cereal? Eggs? Bacon? Bagels?

Every once in a while I really get the craving for a bagel and cream cheese, especially a toasted blueberry bagel (although cinnamon raisin is a close second). I really love everything bagels but they aren’t a good match with this cream cheese. And my son is allergic to sesame seeds, so they’re a no-go.

Usually I opt for eggs and vegetables for breakfast, but like I said, every once in a while that bagel craving hits, and I definitely want some perfectly fluffy, spreadable cream cheese on that bagel.

Who wouldn’t want that in their life?!

This whipped cream cheese is the answer. 

About This Recipe

Whipped cream cheese spread is a delicious choice for topping your bagel, toast, muffin, or pancakes. It is subtly sweetened by honey and flavored with vanilla bean and freshly ground nutmeg.

This spread is a great addition to a holiday brunch. The little vanilla bean flecks make the dip look so classy. It’s perfect for Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, Monday, Tuesday…. I’m sure you get the point.

It’s so easy to make. Give yourself about five minutes to simply put the ingredients in a bowl and use an electric mixer to whip it into a smooth and fluffy spread.

Knife in cream cheese, cream cheese on bagel.

What You’ll Need

  • Cream Cheese: You’ll need an 8 oz. package of either regular or lowfat cream cheese. Avoid nonfat cream cheese; it’s too soft and has additives. Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator an hour or two ahead of time to soften.
  • Whole Milk or Heavy Cream: You’ll blend milk or cream into the cream cheese to make it “whippable” and spreadable. Heavy cream is best but whole milk works well, too.
  • Vanilla Bean: Scrape the seeds out of one vanilla bean. The dark flecks really add visual appeal to the dip. If you don’t have a vanilla bean, substitute 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. If you use the paste, use less sweetener because vanilla bean paste contains sugar.
  • Honey: This sweetener adds flavor as well as sweetness. If you prefer, substitute maple syrup, agave, or packed brown sugar.
  • Freshly Grated Nutmeg: While this is optional, you’ll love the flavor it adds.
Cream cheese with vanilla beans, surrounded by bagels.

FAQs

Is whipped cream cheese the same as cream cheese?

Whipped cream cheese has a different consistency than cream cheese. Because it’s been whipped, air is incorporated into the cream cheese, giving it more volume and making it softer and more spreadable. Often it’s sweetened or flavored.

Can I use whipped cream cheese spread instead of cream cheese?

Always use the cream cheese specified in the recipe. If a recipe simply calls for cream cheese, buy a block of cream cheese. Do not substitute whipped cream cheese spread. It will affect the results of your recipe.

Is whipped cream cheese healthier than regular cream cheese?

Generally, whipped cream cheese has fewer calories and less fat than regular cream cheese. Whipping the cream cheese adds volume (air) so two tablespoons of whipped cream cheese is part cream cheese and part air, if that makes sense.
It’s a little difficult to figure out exactly because it depends on how much it’s whipped and whether you’ve added anything else to it.

How To Serve This Cream Cheese Spread

It goes well on any type of bread: bagels, English muffins, toast, pancakes, muffins, etc. Here’s a few ideas:

  • Apple quinoa pancakes
  • Pumpkin streusel bread
  • Whole wheat banana bread
  • Buckwheat pancakes
  • Apple cinnamon muffins
  • Banana bread muffins
  • Homemade English Muffins by Baked by an Introvert

Cream cheese spreads also make a good dip for fruits, graham crackers, or cookies. Try it with sliced apples, graham cracker sticks, or gingersnap cookies.

Make It Your Own

Easy peasy! Add a little more honey or maple syrup to make it sweeter, or try adding cinnamon or a little orange zest. All delicious choices!

Layer it up! After you spread the cream cheese on your bagel or muffin, layer on sliced or chopped fruit. This apple compote is really good.

Cream cheese in a dish surrounded by bagels.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate cream cheese dip in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Vanilla bean whipped cream cheese in a square bowl.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Cheese

4.60 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
16 servings
Print Rate Recipe
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Vanilla bean whipped cream cheese is perfect on a bagel, English muffin, or your morning toast, and it's so easy to make! 

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (low fat is fine, don't use fat-free)
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk, or heavy cream
  • seeds of 1 vanilla bean, scraped out (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon honey, more to taste
  • dash freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  • Whip all ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and slightly fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Spread on toasted bagels, pancakes, or whatever else you like! It also makes a great dip.

Notes

  • If desired, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste can be substituted for the vanilla bean.
  • Refrigerate in a covered container for up to four days.
  • Nutrition information is a little tricky. It depends on how much air is incorporated into the whipped cream cheese and how much you consider one serving so consider this note a disclaimer.
  • Variations: Add a dash of cinnamon, orange zest, or add more honey to make it sweeter. Other sweeteners can be substituted for the honey, such as maple syrup or sugar.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 6kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.004g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 0.4mg, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 5mg, Fiber: 0.003g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 0.01mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
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  1. JJ says

    March 14, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    How would you suggest substituting with vanilla extract or paste? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 14, 2021 at 9:11 pm

      About a tablespoons of either should be good! I’d definitely go for the paste if you can get your hands on it, though.

      Reply
  2. nance says

    October 13, 2016 at 3:30 am

    I was looking for a vanilla cream cheese recipe to go with my Einstein Bros pumpkin bagels. This hit the spot! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      October 16, 2016 at 9:53 am

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  3. Cat Davis - Food Family Finds says

    November 20, 2011 at 1:28 am

    Mmmm that would be great spread on a sugar cookie with some fruit.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      November 20, 2011 at 10:29 am

      Great idea!

      Reply
  4. a spoonful of yumm says

    November 10, 2011 at 8:39 am

    yummy yumm !! looks gorgeous :D

    Reply
  5. Nutmeg Nanny says

    November 9, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    This is cream cheese heaven!!!!

    Reply
  6. Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    This is a great idea (and so much better than buying a processed version) :) I could just picture this on a really good cinnamon raisin bagel.. yum!

    Reply
  7. Roxana GreenGirl {A little bit of everything} says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    I’d grab a second bagel if it’s served with this vanilla cream cheese!

    Reply
  8. the wicked noodle says

    November 8, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    This looks AH-MA-ZING!! I love cream cheese and can think of so many yummy uses for this. Thanks for the inspiration! xoxo

    Reply
  9. Tracey says

    November 7, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    This would be so fantastic as part of a holiday spread – it sounds delicious and it’s beautiful!

    Reply
  10. Jamie @ thrifty veggie mama says

    November 7, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    I love bagels and cream cheese!

    Reply
  11. jess☆ @ Multicultural Melbourne says

    November 7, 2011 at 3:11 am

    you genius… yum!!! I’m feeling like this would be great in a croissant…

    Reply
  12. mjskit says

    November 7, 2011 at 12:27 am

    YUMMY! This looks delicious! and so easy!

    Reply
  13. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    November 6, 2011 at 11:37 pm

    I love cream cheese and could use an entire tub on a bagel… vanilla bean sounds so amazing I am afraid to try it!

    Reply
  14. Feast on the Cheap says

    November 6, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    What a great idea! kinda like frosting for your bagel…

    Reply
  15. Ashley@BakerbyNature says

    November 5, 2011 at 9:26 pm

    This looks SO pretty! I think it would last a whole 5 extra minutes in my house being admired for it’s beauty before being devoured – we eat a lot of bagels up in here…

    I will definitely be trying this out after Christmas, if not before – My Mama always sticks some jars of fresh vanilla beans in the ol’ stocking :)

    Reply
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