Are you a fan of Boursin Cheese? Real deal Boursin Cheese is a rich, creamy, herby spreadable cheese developed in Normandy, France. These days you can pick it up at many grocery stores here in the US and I’m a fan, but I’m not a fan of the price. Surprise! It takes minutes to knock off a super Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese at home. And it’s going to be perfect for snacking with crackers, as an appetizer or maybe an addition to your cheeseboard.
Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
I gotta say that I might feel strange knocking off a fancy French cheese product with a few items you can pick up at any old grocery store, but since I last bought Boursin, there’s been an explosion of products and various knock-offs, anyway. I wasn’t even aware that you can buy little snack cups of Boursin, now. So guess what – from now on there’s no shame in my game!
About Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese:
When Boursin cheese first came on my radar, there was only one flavor, which the Boursin website describes as “Garlic & Fine Herbs.” It’s utterly delish, and the ingredients are listed right on the package. And so my recipe follows those ingredients closely for a fun, luscious spread. The key ingredients is the White Pepper and that’s what’s going to give your Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese a lift. White Pepper is on my Top Secret Super Stealth Arsenal of Ingredients post so don’t be tempted to leave it out – it’s what makes the magic happen in this simple but scrumptious spread!
But what else I noticed when I visited Boursin’s website is that there’s also a whole bunch of other Boursin cheese flavors. I just need to stop being so focused at the grocery store and look around now and then! I think I’ve been shopping the same stores so long I know exactly what I want, exactly where it is and I just don’t take those long strolls through the store that some people do, thinking about what they might make or buy.
So it passed me by that Boursin now has, in addition to the original Garlic & Fine Herbs, Shallot & Chive, Basil & Chive, Pepper, Cranberry & Spice, and Red Chili Pepper flavors. You can take this same basic recipe and alter it for any of those or any of your own flavor profiles. Gosh, you’re limited only by your imagination (and good taste!)
Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
Making Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese:
One thing to mention about the Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese as opposed to actual Boursin, made with the Gournay cheese is that it is super creamy and rich and it is a little smoother than actual Boursin. Real deal Boursin is creamy, too, but can be just a bit crumbly, kind of like the texture of a really creamy blue cheese. I’m all about the flavor, but I just thought I might give that a mention so you know.
I used cream cheese and butter as the base of my Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese, and I’ve made this before with regular cream cheese and with the light cream cheese, Neufchatel, and it’s fantastic either way. I have also made my Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese in the past with both fresh herbs and garlic and with garlic powder and dried herbs and honestly like it better with the garlic powder and the dried herbs.
And that holds true especially if I’m going to be keeping it more than a few hours in the fridge or want to make it ahead. The fresh garlic intensifies in flavor over time and takes over and the fresh herbs just don’t hold up as well as the dried do. It’s worth mentioning that I have a huge pot of fresh herbs on my windowsill and I still prefer the dried for this! Since I didn’t have any dried chives, I just chopped some up, laid them on a piece of parchment and microwaved them at 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until they were dried.
Make sure to mix the cream cheese, butter, salt, white pepper, and garlic powder all in the food processor first and then add the herbs, whether you use fresh or dried, by hand. That way, you won’t have a green dip.
Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
Saving Money on Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese:
Any holiday is a great time to save money on many items, especially Cream Cheese. Now that we’re smack dab in the middle of the Winter holidays, you might want to check my list of items to stock up on. I just stocked up on Cream Cheese, four packages for $5.00 and since it keeps so well, I bought enough for the Cheesecake I’m making and enough to last through the holidays and beyond. I use the same strategy to find butter at a low, and both items freeze well, too.
That means my Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese, which is 20 ounces, runs about $2.75 plus the garlic powder and herbs. Even at regular grocery store prices, in my area, making my Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese runs about $4.69. That sounds pretty great compared to $3.99 for 5 ounces for the actual Boursin Cheese. If the Boursin cheese were the same volume as the homemade, you’d be paying $15.96.
So let’s talk a bit about what you can use your Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese for if you happen to have any leftover. Toss it into mashed potatoes, make twice baked potatoes with it. Thin it with a bit of milk or buttermilk for a super creamy dressing. Add it to a pasta dish. Combine with spinach and stuff chicken breasts or mushrooms. Use it on a sandwich, spread a bagel with it, with or without salmon. Once you taste your Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese, you’ll realize the possibilities are endless.
Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
About 5 minutes to whip up, but make sure to allow time to soften cream cheese and butter.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 3 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
Instructions
Preferably in a food processor, mix together the cream cheese, butter, garlic powder, white pepper, and salt. By hand, stir in the parsley and chives.
Best if made ahead so the flavors will blend. If refrigerated, bring out ahead so the cheese will be soft enough to spread.
If desired, the cheese may be formed into rounds to mimic actual boursin.
Keywords: Appetizer, Cheese, Cream Cheese, French, Spreads and Dips
_________________________________
I’ll be sharing my Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese at Fiesta Friday #250, cohosted this week by Jenny @ Apply To Face Blog., Jess @ Cooking Is My Sport, Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju.com. Thanks, guys for hosting for us for so many Fiesta Fridays! #250 is a landmark for sure!
Pingback: Homemade Savoury Boursin … Spread and Pasta Sauce | Cooking is Fun … Really!!