What Is Cream cheese (nonfat) and How Can I Use It?
Cream cheese (nonfat) is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 43 recipes to get you started.
Key Points
- Cream cheese with all milk fat removed, replaced by water, milk solids, and gums.
- Tastes more sourly tangy and feels gummier, since fat carries the richness.
- Best in no-bake and chilled desserts and cold dips, where you lean on tang not fat.
- Bakes rubbery and weepy alone; cut it half-and-half with the full-fat block.
What is cream cheese (nonfat)?
Nonfat cream cheese, also labeled "fat-free," is cream cheese with the milk fat removed entirely and replaced by extra water plus milk solids and gums. It comes in the same foil block and spreads on a bagel about the same.
Fat is what makes regular cream cheese taste rich and feel smooth on the tongue, so taking it all out changes the cheese more than a reduced-fat block does. Expect a cleaner, more sour tang and a slightly gummy, less coating mouthfeel.
Where it works
It earns its place in no-bake and chilled desserts, where you are leaning on the tang and the set rather than richness. A no-bake Fat Free Cheesecake is exactly the kind of dish it was made for.
Cold savory uses are friendly too. Thinned with a little milk it becomes a lean base for dips and spreads, carrying herbs and garlic without the heavy fat.
Baking is the weak spot.
With no fat to hold structure, a baked cheesecake made entirely with nonfat cream cheese tends to weep and crack, and it bakes rubbery. If you must bake it, cut it half-and-half with the full-fat block to keep some body, or pick a recipe written for fat-free from the start.
Substitutes and storage
The closest stand-in is the full-fat or reduced-fat block, which you can use one-to-one with a richer result. For an even leaner swap in cold dishes, strained nonfat Greek yogurt brings similar tang with more protein and a thinner texture.
Keep it sealed and refrigerated, and use it within a week or so of opening. It does not freeze well, since thawing leaves it watery and grainy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size unknown (100g)Quick facts
Food group: Cream cheese (nonfat) is a member of the Dairy and Egg Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 奶油奶酪（脱脂）
- British (UK) term
- Cream cheese (nonfat)
- en français
- fromage à la crème (écrémé)
- en español
- queso crema (sin grasa)
How much does cream cheese (nonfat) weigh?
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Related
Dairy and Egg Products
Recipes using cream cheese (nonfat)
There are 43 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Chicken Tortillas
Crispy fried chicken wraps rolled in warm flour tortillas with a smear of cream cheese, crunchy peppers, cucumber, onion, and fresh salad greens. A fast handheld lunch built on golden, paprika-spiced chicken strips.
Black Forest Cherry Cheesecake
This cheesecake is amazingly chocolatey and delicious. It screams out the cherry flavour. Definitely worth the effort.
Two-Step Cheesecake
No-bake cheesecake with nonfat cream cheese, whipped topping, and cherry pie filling in a graham cracker crust. Just two steps, zero oven time, and a creamy result that chills to perfection.
Chocolate Ripple Cake, Low Calorie
Lower-calorie chocolate ripple cake baked in a clay pot with a coconut cream cheese swirl. Made with nonfat cream cheese, egg whites, and fat-free sour cream. Serves 12.
Chocolate Ripple Cake, Low Calorie
Lower-calorie chocolate ripple cake baked in a clay pot with a coconut cream cheese swirl. Made with nonfat cream cheese, egg whites, and fat-free sour cream. Serves 12.
Crunch Crust Nectarine Pie
No-bake nectarine pie with a caramelized granola crunch crust and vanilla cream cheese filling. Light, fresh, and summer-ready with just five ingredients.
Off-The-Wall Chocolate Cake
Off-The-Wall Chocolate Cake starts with devil's food mix, then gets a cream cheese swirl loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts dropped right into the batter. Done in 1 hour.
Milk Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Milk chocolate chip cheesecake built on nonfat cream cheese and egg whites, studded with milk chocolate chips throughout. A lighter cheesecake recipe that delivers the chocolate-and-cream flavor without the heavy fat content.
Nonfat Cheesecake Fruit Pie
Nonfat cheesecake fruit pie with a crisp corn flake crust, fluffy marshmallow-and-cream-cheese filling, and a swirl of fruit cocktail. Light, no-bake-style cheesecake with serious retro charm.
Lemony Cheesecake with Fresh Fruit
Light lemony cheesecake made with nonfat cream cheese and condensed milk on a graham cracker base. A lower-fat cheesecake topped with fresh fruit that still feels indulgent.
Hershey's Syrup Two-Tone Cake
Two-tone sheet cake with a vanilla cream cheese batter and Hershey's chocolate syrup topping baked together for a marbled, fudgy finish using egg whites only.
Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce - Lite
Lite cheesecake with raspberry sauce uses nonfat cream cheese and 2% cottage cheese for a silky, tangy slice without the guilt. Topped with bright homemade raspberry sauce.
Holiday Delight Cheesecake (Lo-Fat)
Lo-fat holiday cheesecake made with nonfat cream cheese, lemon yogurt, and egg substitute on a graham crust, topped with cherry pie filling. Lighter classic for the dessert table.
Chili Cheese Dip
Layered cream cheese, cheddar, and spicy chili baked until bubbly and golden. This lighter chili cheese dip uses fat-free cheeses and comes together in under an hour. Scoop it up with tortilla chips.
Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake
Cherry cheese coffee cake on a yeasted bread base with cream cheese filling, cherry pie filling, raisins, and a brown sugar streusel top. Uses frozen bread dough for the shortcut.
Easy Tiny Cheese Cakes
Tiny cheesecakes built on a single vanilla wafer crust and finished with a candied cherry. Four-ingredient mini cheesecakes that bake in muffin liners for instant holiday party trays.
Lemon Cream Cheese Pie with Blueberries
No-bake lemon cream cheese pie with a blueberry puree swirl and fresh berries on top. Tangy, creamy, and set in a graham cracker crust without turning on the oven.
Chocolate Ripple Cake
Layered chocolate ripple cake baked in a clay pot with a coconut cream cheese swirl through the center and a milk chocolate cream cheese frosting on top. Lightened with egg whites and nonfat cream cheese.
Chocolate Ripple Cake
Layered chocolate ripple cake baked in a clay pot with a coconut cream cheese swirl through the center and a milk chocolate cream cheese frosting on top. Lightened with egg whites and nonfat cream cheese.
Lemon Chiffon Cherry Cheesecake
No-bake lemon chiffon cheesecake made light with blended cottage cheese, nonfat cream cheese and lemon gelatin, folded fluffy with whipped cream and crowned with cherry pie filling. A cool, airy dessert with no oven required.
Bagels Galore (Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions)
Toasted bagels topped with sweet roasted red bell peppers, caramelized red onions, and a smear of cream cheese. A quick open-faced breakfast or lunch ready in 40 minutes.
Pillowy Macaroon Brownies
Fudgy brownies lightened with prune puree instead of butter, topped with a chewy coconut macaroon layer and a chocolate drizzle. A two-in-one treat that's richer and more wholesome than it looks.
Holiday Delight Cheesecake (Low-Fat)
Low-fat holiday cheesecake with nonfat cream cheese, lemon yogurt, and a graham cracker crust, topped with cherry pie filling and whipped topping.
Non Fat Cream Cheese Icing
It tastes very good and gives a thicker consistency similar to buttercream.
Cream Cheese & Crab Sushi Rolls
Homemade sushi rolls stuffed with cream cheese, imitation crab, and crisp cucumber wrapped in seasoned rice and nori. A beginner-friendly roll you can nail on the first try.
Potato Croquettes
A scrumptious and cheesy potato croquettes recipe that is great for entertaining friends or family.
Cherry-Almond Cake
We all love this cherry-almond cake, I used whole wheat flour, still very nice, I just always prefer high fibre flour. I will make this cake very often.
Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake (Reduced Fat)
Lighter chocolate caramel cheesecake built on a crispy rice cereal crust with nonfat cream cheese, fat-free sour cream, and egg whites. A gooey caramel layer and chocolate-walnut crumble keep things indulgent without the guilt.
No-Bake Pineapple Cheesecake
No-bake pineapple cheesecake: a lightened version using nonfat cream cheese, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt folded with crushed pineapple, set with gelatin on a graham and Grape-Nuts crust. Creamy tropical dessert without the oven.
Blueberry Delight Pie
A lighter blueberry pie with a graham cracker crust, baked nonfat cream cheese filling, blueberry pie filling, and fluffy whipped topping. Uses reduced-fat ingredients throughout without sacrificing the layered indulgence everyone loves.
Carrot Cake with Pineapple
Lighter carrot cake loaf with crushed pineapple, whipped egg whites, and a smooth nonfat cream cheese topping. Warm cinnamon spice in every slice without the heavy guilt.
Hearty Spinach & Mushroom Soup
Creamy spinach and mushroom soup with Swiss cheese, cream cheese, and a touch of nutmeg. A thick, cheesy vegetable soup that's lighter than it tastes.
Chocolate Marble Cheesecake Pie
A lighter marble cheesecake baked right in a pie pan with nonfat cream cheese and a chocolate wafer crust. Swirls of vanilla and chocolate in every creamy, guilt-free slice.
Lovely Lemon Cheesecake
No-bake low-fat lemon cheesecake with lemon gelatin, fat-free cottage cheese, and cream cheese folded with whipped topping. Sunny dessert with a cherry pie filling crown.
Kraft 3-Step Cranberry Cheesecake
Cranberry cheesecake studded with tart cranberries and orange zest, set on a graham cracker base. A holiday dessert that skips the springform pan and bakes in a simple pie plate.
Low Fat Turtle Cheesecake
Low fat turtle cheesecake sets with gelatin instead of baking, blending nonfat cream cheese and low-fat cottage cheese into a silky filling crowned with caramel, hot fudge, and pecans.
Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Crust
Fluffy peanut butter pie folds whipped topping into a cream cheese and condensed milk filling, set in a chocolate wafer crust. A no-bake dessert with all the indulgence at half the fat.
Upside-Down Grape & Mascarpone Cheesecake
Upside-down grape and mascarpone cheesecake: red seedless grapes in a glossy sweet-tart sauce under a silky mascarpone filling, inverted to reveal the jewel-like fruit on top.
No Fat Cheesecake:
No-fat cheesecake with nonfat cream cheese set with gelatin, topped with a warm berry compote with cinnamon. A crustless, guilt-free dessert that sets in the fridge in 2 hours.
Pineapple Cloud Pie
Pineapple cloud pie with a crispy rice cereal crust and a frozen filling of cream cheese, pineapple, and whipped topping. A no-bake, light-as-air freezer pie ready in three hours.
Layered Vegetable Terrine
Layered vegetable terrine with three pureed mousses of pea, carrot, and cauliflower baked in a water bath. A stunning vegetarian centerpiece with a carrot-chive salad.
Fat Free Cheesecake
Fat-free cheesecake with nonfat cream cheese, egg whites, sugar, and vanilla on a graham cracker crust. Just 5 ingredients and 30 minutes of baking for a guilt-free dessert.
