Mascarpone substitute
The closest mascarpone substitute is full-fat cream cheese, softened and beaten with up to 1/4 cup of heavy cream per cup until smooth. Use the mix in place of mascarpone, in the same amount.
Out of mascarpone mid-recipe?
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What are you making?
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Cream cheese + heavy cream
Great fit1 cup cream cheese, softened and ¼ cup heavy cream
For this dish: A cream cheese and cream mix is the standard stand-in for tiramisu.
How: Mash the softened cream cheese, then beat in the cream until smooth. Add a little powdered sugar if you want it sweeter. Chill before using. It makes a little over a cup.
What changes: Tangier than mascarpone and slightly less rich. The cream thins and mellows the cream cheese.
Contains milk.
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Cream cheese + sour cream
Works½ cup cream cheese, softened and ½ cup full-fat sour cream
For this dish: It is acceptable, but the tang is stronger.
How: Mash the cream cheese and mix with the sour cream until smooth. Half and half is a common starting point, and you can use less sour cream.
What changes: Tangier than mascarpone, but good where tang is welcome.
Contains milk.
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Whipped heavy cream
Works1 cup heavy cream, whipped with sugar to taste
For this dish: Whipped cream is used in tiramisu, but is softer and less rich.
How: Whip the cream with a little sugar until it holds soft peaks. Adjust the amount for the texture you need.
What changes: Lighter and thinner than mascarpone. It has no tang and less body.
Contains milk.
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Full-fat Greek yogurt
Works1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
For this dish: It works for a lighter, tangier version.
How: Use it cup for cup. A little vanilla can help mimic mascarpone's mild flavor in sweet dishes.
What changes: Much tangier and lower in fat. It can turn lumpy in cooked dishes.
Contains milk.
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Ricotta (whipped)
Works1 cup ultra-fine ricotta, strained and whipped
For this dish: It works when whipped smooth, but is less rich.
How: Strain it, then whip or blend until very smooth. For a richer result, whip it with some heavy cream and cream cheese.
What changes: Lower in fat than mascarpone and mild. It can be grainy unless blended well.
Contains milk.
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Crème fraîche
Works1 cup crème fraîche
For this dish: It works, but it is tangier and looser.
How: Use it cup for cup. In sweet dishes, add a little sugar.
What changes: Less sweet and less thick than mascarpone, with a mild tang.
Contains milk.
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Coconut cream, whipped (dairy-free)
Works1 cup full-fat coconut cream, chilled and whipped
For this dish: It suits dairy-free tiramisu, with a coconut taste.
How: Chill the can well, then whip the solid cream for a light, airy texture.
What changes: Light coconut flavor, and lighter than mascarpone.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
What mascarpone does in a recipe
Mascarpone is a very rich, soft cream cheese-like cheese, with a mild, slightly sweet taste. It has far more fat than cream cheese, so it is smooth and thick but not tangy. It holds shape in tiramisu and frosting and melts into sauces, so a substitute needs richness and a mild flavor.
Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef
A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.
You ask Sous Chef
"I don't have mascarpone."
Sous Chef edits the recipe
1 cup cream cheese, softened and ¼ cup heavy cream
Mash the softened cream cheese, then beat in the cream until smooth. Add a little powdered sugar if you want it sweeter. Chill before using. It makes a little over a cup.
When not to substitute
If mascarpone is the main flavor, as in a tiramisu you are serving to guests or a mascarpone-only cheesecake, buy it or make it. Substitutes taste tangier or lighter.
Common questions
Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?
Yes, in the same amount. Soften it and beat in some heavy cream or sour cream so it is closer to mascarpone.
Can I use ricotta instead of mascarpone?
It can work if you strain it and whip it smooth, but it is lower in fat and less rich.
Can I make mascarpone at home?
Yes. One recipe heats 2 cups of heavy cream to 185 degrees F, adds 2 tablespoons lemon juice, simmers 5 minutes, rests 1 hour, then strains and chills 8 hours.
What can I use instead of mascarpone cheese in tiramisu?
Softened full-fat cream cheese beaten with heavy cream, up to 1/4 cup of cream per cup, used in the same amount as the mascarpone. Whipped heavy cream (softer and less rich) or crème fraîche (tangier and looser) also work. For dairy-free tiramisu, use chilled, whipped full-fat coconut cream.
What is a lighter alternative to mascarpone?
Full-fat Greek yogurt or strained, whipped ricotta, cup for cup. Both are lower in fat than mascarpone. Yogurt is much tangier and can turn lumpy in cooked dishes. Ricotta is milder but needs blending until very smooth.
Related
- Heavy cream substitutes
- Ricotta substitutes
- Sour cream substitutes
- Cream cheese substitutes
- All ingredient substitutes
- How to substitute an ingredient
Sources
- Using cream cheese to substitute mascarpone (Dish by Dish)
- Mascarpone cheese substitute (Rich and Delish)
- Mascarpone cheese substitutes (L'Academie)
Cook with what you have.
Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.