I Tried 6 Cream Cheeses and Only 1 Is Worthy of Your Bagel

When I was in high school, I used to live off of bagels and cream cheese. There was a bagel shop on my way to school that helped feed my habit. On time-crunched mornings, when I couldn’t make it to my favorite bagel spot, I’d grab one from our freezer, toss it in the toaster, and then sprint up the stairs to get ready for school. Once that bagel popped out, I’d grab my favorite cream cheese and reverently add a big swipe before sandwiching the halves together and running out the door. I loved bagels, and the cream cheese was a crucial part of that enjoyment. 

The reason I know this is because I’ve had bad cream cheese. Instead of creamy and tangy, it’s oddly flavorless, and somehow tastes like plastic, or how I imagine plastic to taste. Bad cream cheese can ruin a bagel. To lower the risk of anyone experiencing this, I sought out six cream cheese products and tested them. Of course, this is subjective, but as you know, I have years of bagel-and-cream-cheese-eating experience, so I like to think I know a thing or two. After blindly sampling all of the varieties listed below—both plain and on bagels—here are the results.

The Best Cream Cheeses, Ranked

#6 Whole Foods

I often shop at Whole Foods and have had plenty of luck with their store-brand products. Unfortunately, their cream cheese wasn’t a winner. It’s not bad per se, it’s just not as flavorful or interesting as others on the list. Its mild flavor means it doesn't do much when smeared on a bagel, but I imagine it would work well in baked goods or other dishes where cream cheese isn’t the focus.

#5 Dutch Farms

I loved the sharp flavor of this cream cheese, but it wasn’t as noticeable once I spread it on a bagel. It was smooth, but not as creamy as others on the list. Overall it was a decent cream cheese, but didn’t impress.

#4 Organic Valley

This cream cheese tasted great on its own and it was tasty on a bagel. It was salty and zippy and overall, a nice cream cheese experience. It didn’t have the creaminess I was after, which is why it landed in 4th place.

#3 Tillamook

Tillamook was the creamiest of all of the cream cheeses. It felt rich and decadent and I loved that on my bagel. Sadly, this one didn’t have the big tangy flavor I crave with cream cheese, which is why I placed it at third. It’s still delicious though, and worth giving a shot, especially if a tangy cream cheese isn’t essential to you.

#2 Trader Joe’s

My first word when I tried Trader Joe’s cream cheese was, “Yum!” It was the perfect combination of creamy and vibrant and I couldn’t stop eating it. This is an excellent cream cheese that holds up to bagels and honestly, tastes good right off the knife.

#1 Philadelphia

Perhaps it’s nostalgia—this is what my mom often bought—or perhaps it’s just that good, but Philadelphia cream cheese is by far the superior cream cheese of the ones I tested. This cream cheese provided the most flavor of all: It was tangy, perfectly salty, and definitely creamy. For a solid, reliable, and delicious plain cream cheese, Philadelphia wins, hands down.