Super Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
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Anyone else obsessed with boursin? Then you definitely need to make this homemade boursin cheese! It’s ridiculously easy, uses basic ingredients, and goes with everything from crackers to veggies to wine. And, it only takes about 5 minutes of prep. Let’s make it!
Y’all I go absolutely feral over a wheel of boursin. I mean, don’t we all? It was my go-to girl dinner back in college, long before girl dinners had a brand.
But one day, in the midst of the worst herby garlic cheese craving of my life, the store was out. Zilch. None. And being one to never *let things go*, I decided to recreate my own version. So using all the skills I learned in culinary school, I grabbed some basic ingredients and here we have it. The absolute best, from-scratch boursin situation!
This recipe uses basic ingredients that you probably already have at home like cream cheese, butter, and dried herbs. But I have a few secret tricks for taking the recipe over the top. Here’s just a few other reasons that I love it!
- The recipe takes like, 5 minutes of actual hands-on work.
- The ingredients are super basic and easy to find.
- You can’t tell the difference between this and the OG. It’s seriously that good.
- This homemade version is way more affordable than store-bought.
P.S. If you’re a cheese fiend like me, make sure to check out my other cheese dips like this cheddar cheese spread, whipped brie with sticky pecans, pepper jelly cream cheese dip, 5-minute whipped goat cheese, or lemony whipped ricotta. They’re all amazing!
Store-bought vs. homemade
The first step to creating this recipe was to check out the ingredients on the store-bought version. Boursin is Gournay, which is a crumbly cheese similar to cream cheese. So obviously, I started there. And since Gournay is made with heavy cream, I also added softened butter to give it extra creaminess.
The other ingredients in classic boursin are dried garlic, salt, white pepper, parsley, and chives. I used all of these ingredients, but I also added a few more herbs to give the recipe a more complex flavor.
For a more traditional boursin flavor, you can use just chives and parsley. Just replace the thyme, basil, and marjoram with extra chives and/or parsley.
Secret ingredients
I tried quite a few versions of this recipe, and I found that one key ingredient made all the difference – a tiny splash of lemon juice! Gournay is a bit tangier than classic cream cheese, so a bit of acidity really takes this recipe up a notch.
Other than that, you’ll need cream cheese, good quality butter, garlic powder, chives, parsley, thyme, basil, marjoram, white pepper, and Morton’s Kosher salt. Even though I usually use fresh herbs, I actually like dried in this recipe. For the pepper, you can also use black but I think white tastes better. It’s a bit spicier and it’s what Boursin uses in their recipe!
It’s important to use a good-quality butter here! I promise, it makes all the difference. You can use salted or unsalted depending on what you have.
Food processor or mixer
The key to the right texture is to use a food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer to mix everything up. You want the cheese to be a bit whipped. If you just mix everything together with a rubber spatula, it’ll come out more dense.
Whip it up
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a stand mixer or hand mixer. You might just need to mix it up for another 1-2 minutes for that light texture.
Shaping the cheese
If you want to skip a step, you can definitely just serve the boursin in a serving bowl. It’ll taste the same either way! Just make sure to refrigerate it for at least 1 hour so the flavors have time to meld.
How to serve & use
This recipe is great as an appetizer, but it also works as a substitute for boursin cheese in side dishes or dinner recipes. These are just some of my favorite dippers for this cheese!
- Water crackers, butter crackers, or fruit & nut crisps
- Veggies like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, or peppers
- Pickled things like olives, peppers, or cornichons
- Marcona almonds, seasoned pecans, walnuts, etc.
- Homemade crostini or crusty bread
Try adding this boursin to side dishes, dinner recipes, or other appetizers! You can use it in pasta sauce, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, mashed potatoes, veggies, or stuffed in baby bell peppers or mushrooms.
More flavor ideas
This recipe is so versatile, you can honestly add any herb, spice, or aromatic and it will taste good. But here’s a few ideas to get you started!
- Caramelized onions (or shallots!) and thyme
- Roasted garlic and rosemary
- Black pepper and parmesan
- Tarragon and lemon zest
- Finely chopped jalapeños and chives
Make-ahead and storing
The best part of this recipe is that you can make it up to 1 week in advance! Just make sure to wrap the cheese (or any leftovers) well in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate until you’re ready to eat!
I think this cheese has the best flavor and texture at room temperature. Just pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Super Easy Homemade Boursin Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened (224 grams)
- 1/4 cup good-quality unsalted butter, softened (58 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Crackers, veggies, nuts, olives, etc. for serving
Equipment
- Food processor
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Plastic wrap
- 1 cup measuring cup
Instructions
- Add the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter to the bowl of a food processor. Whip the cream cheese and butter together, scraping down the sides of the bowl every once in a while, until the mixture is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can whip the butter and cream cheese with a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with a whip attachment for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, add the garlic powder, chives, parsley, thyme, basil, marjoram, white pepper, lemon juice, and a good pinch of salt. Blend the mixture for another minute or so, until the mixture is well-combined. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- To get that signature cylinder shape, line a 1 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap. Using a rubber spatula, spoon the cheese mixture into the measuring cup, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies so there are no gaps. Level off the top so it's flat. Wrap the top of the measuring cup with the sides of the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the cheese is solid and the flavors are melded.
- About 30 minutes before serving, use the sides of the plastic wrap to gently remove the cheese from the measuring cup. Place it on a platter flat-side down. Serve the cheese with crackers, veggies, nuts, olives, or any of your favorite dippers. Enjoy!
