For A Creamy Upgrade On Grilled Cheese, Grab A Classic Breakfast Spread

One of the best things about grilled cheese is having the ability to customize it based on craving, audience, mood, and occasion. Whether that means changing the classic sandwich's bread, switching up the cheese, layering in add-ons, or serving it with a rotating selection of soups, there are many ways to keep your grilled cheese from becoming boring or routine.

While you may feel as if you've experimented with all possible iterations, there is one ingredient that you may not have considered — and there's a good chance you already have it hiding in your fridge. Despite having cheese right there in the name, cream cheese is rarely considered the star of this grilled sandwich. But rest assured, once you incorporate this classic breakfast spread, you'll understand why it belongs between those slices of bread.

Cream cheese adds a rich, creamy quality that totally elevates your grilled cheese in both texture and taste. When combined with a more common selection like cheddar, it provides a tangy counterpoint to the sharp and salty cheese. It also works well with just about any other ingredients you can dream up, making for a melty, gooey, and creamy finished product. 

To get started, it helps if your cream cheese is room temperature. If it's coming from the fridge, though, you can quickly soften it without melting with a simple warm water trick. For about four to five sandwiches, a good starting point is 3 to 5 ounces of cream cheese, which you can mix with about 2 cups of shredded cheese (try cheddar, mozzarella, or even a combination of them both). Alternately, you can layer about an ounce of cream cheese between two slices of another complementary cheese per sandwich. 

Cream cheese has a subtle tang, but is still mild enough to be accommodating of other ingredients. If you want to take the taste level a simple step up, you can mix in a bit of mayo or parmesan. That said, you can also go for bolder flavor by mimicking the classic jalapeño popper with sliced peppers. Adding green apples brings a refreshing punch when combined with salty, savory bacon. You can even stay in breakfast territory by making a grilled cheese egg sandwich with bright, contrasting tomato slices. 

Once constructed, proceed with your usual preparation. You can stick with butter as your cooking fat for reliably delicious results, but a simple mayo swap can also make your grilled cheese taste heavenly. No matter how you make this sandwich, you can count on cream cheese to give it a decadent upgrade.