Quick takeaway:
My recommended UPF-Free cream cheese is Good Culture Probiotic Plain Cream Cheese Spread.
Finding cream cheese that is not an ultra-processed food:
Cream cheese is difficult because of how pervasive the use of gums are even in the more expensive pasture raised or organic products. I was surprised to find it even in Organic Valley Organic Cream Cheese.
I have always perceived Philadelphia brand cream cheese to be the name brand product, and compare all other types of cream cheese to them. I was not surprised that flavored cream cheeses or whipped cream cheese spreads are ultra-processed foods, but had never thought to check the label for the ingredients in plain Philadelphia cream cheese. I was unable to find a single Philadelphia cream cheese product that was not an ultra-processed food.
The brands that I was able to find that offer non-UPF cream cheese generally make a reference on the packaging to it being a probiotic product or the use of cultures.
If you are unable to find a brand of cream cheese that is UPF-free, you can almost always substitute a plain mascarpone cheese for cream cheese. This will work for making cheesecakes – remember, mascarpone is used in tiramisu – and also many savory uses. Creme Fraiche will also work as a substitute for cream cheese in many recipes.
Cream cheese is also one of the easiest cheeses to try making yourself at home.
This list is limited to traditional dairy cream cheeses. I have a similar list for dairy-free or vegan cream cheeses located here.
Cream cheeses that are not UPF:
Good Culture Pasture Raised Chive Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Cream, Nonfat Milk, Chives, Sea Salt, Onion Powder, Onions, Olive Oil, Garlic Powder, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Roasted Garlic, Black Pepper, Pectin, Parsley, Live And Active Cultures (Bifidobacterium Spp.)
Good Culture Pasture Raised Plain Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Cream, Nonfat Milk, Sea Salt, Live And Active Cultures (Bifidobacterium Spp.)
Green Valley Creamery Lactose Free Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Organic Pasteurized Cultured Cream (Milk), Lactase Enzyme, Sea Salt, And Live And Active Cultures.
Nancy’s Organic Probiotic Cream Cheese:
Ingredients: Organic Pasteurized Cream, Organic Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Salt, 4 Strains Of Lactic Cultures, Live Probiotic Cultures: L. Acidophilus, B. Bifidobacterium Lactis, L. Rhamnosus.
Sierra Nevada Traditional Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Cultured Milk & Cream, Sea Salt.
Cream cheeses that are an ultra-processed food:
365 Whole Foods Market Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Organic Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Organic Locust Bean Gum.
Amazon Fresh Plain Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
Amazon Fresh Neufchâtel Cheese 1/3 Less Fat
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
Amazon Fresh Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Whey Protein Concentrate, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Cheese Culture, Guar Gum, Lactic Acid, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor).
Dutch Farms Original Cream Cheese
Pasteurized Cultured Milk and Cream, Salt, Stabilizers (Xanthan and or Carob Bean and or Guar Gum).
Einstein Bros. Plain Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor).
Einstein Bros. Garden Veggie Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Maltodextrin, Water, Carrots, Salt, Cheese Culture, Green Bell Peppers, Celery, Sodium Citrate, Red Bell Peppers, Onions, Cellulose Gel, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Green Onions, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor), Enzymes.
Good and Gather Plain Cream Cheese Bar (Target)
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
Good and Gather Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Sugar, Strawberries, Whey Protein Concentrate, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Cheese Culture, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Citric Acid, Fruit And Vegetable Juice (Color), Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Honey, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor).
Great Value Fat Free Cream Cheese (Walmart)
Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Calcium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate, Carob Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Color Added, Corn Syrup Solids, Cream, Enzymes, Guar Gum, Milk, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Sugar, Vitamin A Palmitate, Xanthan Gum.
Green Mountain Farms Cream Greek Cheese and Greek Yogurt
Pasteurized Cultured Milk, Cream and Skim Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Water, Lactic Acid, Inulin (Natural Dietary Fiber), Salt, Stabilizers (Xanthan, Locust Bean, and Guar Gums), Potassium Sorbate (Maintains Freshness). Contains Live and Active Cultures: S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus.
H-E-B Regular Cream Cheese
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
H-E-B Neufchâtel Cheese Block
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
Kroger Original Cream Cheese
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
Level Valley Cream Cheese Style Blend
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Palm Oil, Salt, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Cheese Culture.
Lucerne Cream Cheese (Safeway)
Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum.
O Organics Organic Cream Cheese (Safeway)
Organic Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Salt, Organic Carob Bean Gum, Cheese Culture.
Organic Valley Organic Cream Cheese Block
Ingredients: Organic Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Organic Locust Bean Gum.
Philadelphia Honey Pecan Naturally Flavored Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Sugar, Water, Whey Protein Concentrate, Pecans, Contains Less than 2% of Salt, Modified Food Starch, Honey, Molasses, Natural Flavor, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Natamycin (a Natural Mold Inhibitor), Vitamin A Palmitate, Cheese Culture.
Philadelphia Neufchâtel Cheese With 1/3 Less Fat
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Cheese Culture.
Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Cheese Culture.
Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Sorbic Acid (As A Preservative), Vitamin A Palmitate, Cheese Culture.
Philadelphia Original Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Skim Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid (As A Preservative), Guar Gum, Lactic Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate, Cheese Culture
Philadelphia Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread
Cream Cheese Spread (Pasteurized Nonfat Milk And Milkfat, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey, Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Sorbic Acid (As A Preservative), Vitamin A Palmitate), Sugar, Strawberry Puree, Water, Modified Food Starch, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Red 40.
Sprouts Cream Cheese
Ingredients: Pasturized Milk And Cream, Salt, Stabilizers (Guar, Locust Bean And Xanthan Gums), Cheese Culture.
Sprouts Neufchâtel Cheese
Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk, Cream And Skim Milk, Salt, Stabilizers (Guar, Locust Bean And Xanthan Gums), Cheese Culture.
Tillamook Original Cream Cheese Spread
Cultured Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Whey Protein Concentrate, Skim Milk, Salt.