The Unexpected Cream Cheese We Ranked First (And It's Not Philadelphia)

Whether you like to use cream cheese on grilled cheese sandwiches or prefer bagels, choosing the most flavorful variety makes a definite impact. Among the seven cream cheese brands ranked worst to best, instead of the popular Philadelphia brand (which came second), Tillamook cream cheese surprisingly claimed the No. 1 spot on our list. 

In a blind taste test of several 8-ounce bricks of cream cheese, Tillamook received the highest ranking for its superior flavor, light texture, and supreme spreadability. In terms of flavor, Tillamook has a mild, subtly sweet flavor with just the right amount of tang. This variety also has a more natural dairy-rich taste than other varieties. In comparison, Philadelphia cream cheese has a saltier, sharper bite. Additionally, Tillamook cream cheese proves easier to spread on traditional bagels than Philadelphia cream cheese. Instead of cold, unspreadable chunks, Tillamook cream cheese has a lighter, almost whipped consistency, which makes it easier to manipulate. This variety also blends exceedingly well into other recipes, such as homemade onion dip and cake frosting. Lastly, while we also chose Tillamook for its slightly lower price point, both Tillamook and Philadelphia cost approximately $3 each at Walmart, with only a 2-cent difference. However, depending on where you shop, prices may vary.

For starters, Tillamook may have the best overall flavor because it contains more cream than other popular brands. From a nutritional standpoint, while 2 tablespoons of Philadelphia cream cheese contain 80 calories and 7 grams of fat, 2 tablespoons of Tillamook cream cheese has 100 calories and 10 grams of fat. Not to mention, Philadelphia cream cheese has 20 more milligrams of sodium per serving than Tillamook, which can explain the runner-up's extra-salty taste.

It's also worth noting, the only ingredients in Tillamook's brick-style cream cheese is cultured pasteurized milk and cream, pasteurized skim milk, and sea salt. In comparison, Philadelphia cream cheese contains carob bean gum as a thickener. This helps explain why Tillamook has a richer taste and mouthfeel, which can make a variety of foods, such as tangy mashed potatoes, cheesecake, or cookies, extra-rich and flavorful.

While this Oregon-based dairy now produces over 200 milk-based products, Tillamook debuted its brick-style cream cheese in 2024. Customers seemed eager for a brick-style spread after Tillamook released its flavored farmstyle cream cheese spreads in 2020. The quality of Tillamook cream cheese speaks for itself.