DIY: Homemade Velveeta Cheese
When it comes to making things from scratch in the kitchen, I tend to toe a line that falls somewhere between making everything from scratch and picking up the occasional packaged/processed food for a special recipe. Since I don’t make it a habit, I don’t have much of an issue using those types of things on rare instances. Take Velveeta cheese, for instance. I don’t keep it in the house and I don’t make many things with it, but there’s no denying that any other type of cheese substitution just isn’t the same in recipes like chipped ham bbq sandwiches, slow cooker macaroni and cheese, and, my most recent favorite, slow cooker spicy beef queso dip.
Many of you have asked for possible substitutions when it comes to Velveeta, so when a high school friend of mine posted a link on Facebook of a homemade version, I knew immediately that I wanted to give it a try for you. I ended up settling on a different recipe, and I think you’re going to love the results!
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The process for making the homemade Velveeta is very similar to that for homemade American cheese, but the ingredients are slightly different and it’s even easier, in my opinion. The most important factor, of course, is how well does it compare to the real thing? I would venture to say that’s it’s nearly identical. The consistency is the same, the flavor is the same, and it melts the exact same way. Mission accomplished!
This recipe yielded about 22 ounces of finished cheese, so feel free to scale it up or down if you need it for a recipe that calls for a different amount. You can substitute this for any recipe that calls for Velveeta cheese… and I highly recommend the three I mentioned above :)
One year ago: Greek Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
Three years ago: Sea Salt Caramels with Vanilla Bean
Four years ago: White Sicilian Pizza with Flaky, Pastry-Style Crust
Seven years ago: Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Homemade Velveeta Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ ounce (7.09 g) packet unflavored gelatin
- 6 tablespoons dry milk powder
- 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap, covering all sides and leaving excess to hang over the sides.
- Place the unflavored gelatin and dry milk powder in a blender or food processor (I used my blender). Pour the boiling water over top and immediately pulse to combine. Add the cheddar cheese and puree the mixture until smooth.
- Immediately pour and scrape the cheese mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula. Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cheese, pressing it against the surface of the cheese, ensuring that it is completely covered. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, until set. The cheese will keep in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe made me smile. Being from France, I love cheese and I was wondering why I would like to take good cheese (cheddar) to make Velveta. However, after reading all the reviews, I want to give it a try.
Okay. We have tried this twice with 2 different brands of cheese, and I can’t get the cheese to melt after making the block of “velveeta”. The cheese just forms a glob in the pan, even if everything else is boiling! If making it into macaroni and cheese, then the macaroni has no cheese on it!
What’s the trick to making it functional? Specific brand of cheese? Only use it as sliced cheese?
Home made Velvetta turned out just like the store brand. Made an amazing mac and cheese with it my guests raved about it.
Sorry I do not have a picture of my cheese. It was awhile ago when I made this. The only thing velveeta is good for is rotel dip. I love this. I also made it with queso cheese. In the next few days I will make the American version. I will use cheedar instead of Colby.
I am going to try this. The price of a regular sizebox of Velveeta these days is outrageous….nearly $8 at Walmart!
I actually have been experimenting lately. With homemade version of “Velveeta” But I took a white sauce approach. Started like I was making Alfredo sauce by melting butter in saucepan adding flour or cornstarch then milk. Stirring till thickened. Then adding seasoning and shredded cheddar. Texture pretty good but haven’t nailed seasoning yet. Not sure how your fit matched taste because it is a very salty product. I added granulated garlic and black pepper but next time will try some seasoning salt or salt free seasoning. I am more likely to have Velveeta in pantry than gelatin but milk and butter and cheese I always have.
What are the other cheeses you used? It’s not mentioned in recipe
Hi Daphne, You just use mild cheddar cheese (it’s listed in the recipe above).
What brand of mild cheddar cheese?
I made this exactly as specified in the recipe. The top part came out feeling like a block of Velveeta. The bottom was just a little softer. I used blended grated cheese in the recipe. I made chicken tortilla soup with it as it usually calls for Velveeta and Velveeta is so unhealthy and processed. So I was happy to find this. When the cheese melted in the pot the consistency was terrible. It was grainy and sand like. Even tasting it in the soup was terrible. It just doesn’t melt like Velveeta which is creamy and smooth. Any thoughts??
If you used pre-shredded cheese then that is the problem. It is coated with an anti-caking substance that will make it gritty.
Could you add stuff like crumbled sausage or peppers?
Sure, I don’t see why not!
I made the homemade velveeta cheese. IT TURNED OUT GREAT. When I first made it I sliced some into strips to go on a chili dog bun. Zapped it in the micro for 10 secs and it melted perfectly. What was leftover went into a cheese dip with meat and seasonings. Meltability matches velveeta and it is considerably cheaper.
I will do this again <3
Sorry, but this looks and tastes disgusting!! What I have is a gloppy mess if cheese that’s surrounded by liquid. I used my vitamix so blending machinery not the issue. Maybe blending the milk powder with the water first, slowly adding the cheese, and finally the gelatin would work. I really wanted this to work.
It looked like Velvetta, taste wasn’t too far off, but when mine melted it was grainy and sand like. It made the recipe taste horrible.
Too funny. Communication that started over velveeta cheese, a horrible “american” invention, right up there with margarine. What we eat may be much more important than how we communicate the ways to eat more healthy. If health benefits are conveyed and used, it shouldn’t really matter if someone makes a grammatical error while spreading the word. Real food over processed food is the point here, right? Everyone has different levels of intellect and people with learning disabilities enjoy cooking too. These people should not be shunned at their attempts to learn new things nor be made to feel they should not participate in recipe conversations because their mental capacity is going to be openly judged by random strangers that choose to be judges.
Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès, don’t recognize the name? He is the inventor of Margarine. Turns out the deadly butter substitute was invented in 1869 by the FRENCH, supposedly the authorities on all things gastronomic.
Velveeta, yes, was invented by J.L.Kraft so it is American, but margarine is not ours.
My favorite Velveeta was the Mexican Velveeta. But thanks to food sensitivities I no longer can have American cheese. Do you think adding Rotel (drained) would make a similar to Mexican Velveeta? TIA :)
Hi Kathy, I’ve never had Mexican Velveeta (don’t remember ever seeing it!), but you might be able to replicate it with the drained Rotel! If you try, let me know how it turns out!
I have used the Mexican Velveta. I think using a white mild cheese instead of cheddar would work.
I just made this recipe. I, of course, didn’t have all the ingredients. I don’t keep dry milk powder on hand. But I always have fat free Greek yogurt and skim milk. milk powder is added to the water to add more richness. The yogurt and skim milk did the same thing. I microwaved a 1/2 cup of skim milk til it was boiling. Then add 1/2 c. ff yogurt.. Put it in the blender start it going on slow. Add gelatin powder and blend, add the shredded cheese a handful at time til it is all incorporated. It won’t look successful at first. Keep it going pushing the down the sides. All of a sudden it’s like magic. It looked just like melted Velveeta. It tasted amazing. Unfortunately it was not enough. I kept licking the spatula. I only had a half pound left to put in the loaf pan. Kind of flat. But OMG it is good and gooey. I kept about 1/2 c. in the blender and added 1/2 salsa and blended again. Now I have queso dip and Velveeta. I am in hog heaven. Tonights gonna be gloriously yummy. Grilled cheese sandwiches and chips and hot dip.
I will have to keep your idea in mind the next time I make this (and there will be a next time). I fill the blender with water and pour the remains down the sink. This will be much better use of the leftover cheese.
DO NOT use a food precessor. I ended up with cheesy, sticky liquid all over my kitchen walls. Transferred to a blender and all went well from there.
Do you need to bloom the gelatin before adding to the milk powder?
Hi Alan, No, you do not.
Michelle,
Could you skip the refrigeration for 12 hours if you are going to melt it into something anyway? Just wondering about how the flavor sets in if you don’t do that step. Thanks!
Sorry, I should have read down further. I found my answer. Thanks!!
Would pouring into hot jars and water bath for 2 min sound reasonable to preserve this?
Hi Kim, I cannot recommend canning this, as I don’t know that it’s suitable for long term storage.
It should work just fine as long as good canning techniques are used. Look at the multitude of canned cheese sauces and spreads!!!
Thanks for the recipe! I’m going to try making Gouda Velvetta!! We like the flavor or gouda over cheddar, but it can get hard as it sits for a bit. and doesn’t reheat well. Hoping this works!!
I could only find beef gelatine in the uk so could i use that instead?
Hi Sharon, I think that should work.
I was very excited to find this recipe because Velveeta is not available here and I missed it. We tried the recipe and it turned out beautiful and tasted great cold but when we tried melting it the cheese turned ino a watery mess. Any suggestions?
any advice I made it per the instructions but it never melted in our mac and cheese it just kept clumping together…yucky….
I really want to figure it out cause I do Love Velveeta and this recipe.
Thanks
Don’t use pre shredded cheese that comes in a a bag. It has an anti caking agent added to it that causes it to do that.
Thank you so much i’ve been looking for a substitute in adelaide Australia and i’m out in the country so Michelle your a legend in my family ?
Thank you so much for this. I’m allergic to bovine dairy, so I have to use goat’s or sheep’s milk cheeses instead. Goat’s milk cheddar is nice and all but I was really missing the super creamy smooth mac & cheese I had as a kid, and real cheddar just does NOT melt like that. I can’t wait to try this stuff with some goat cheddar and powdered goat’s milk!
So excited about this! I have wanted to try it for ages and finally did. Before congealing it tasted great, like velveeta, but not as salty. Is setting in the fridge now and can’t wait to use it for a broccoli rice casserole and queso! Living in a country that doesn’t sell velveeta, I am so excited for this recipe!!! thank you!!!
Looks and tastes like real velveeta, smooth, creamy, and not too salty. Until you heat it up and it turns into a gelatinous ball of cheesy “gum” curds that seperate out from a puddle of liquid. This recipe can not be used in any recipe’s like velveeta can.
Has anyone tried to make several blocks ahead of time and freeze them? Is this a freezable product?
Thanks,
EG
This did not work well for me. I used it in a crock pot recipe from this site to make Spicy Beef Queso and the cheese was very stringy, not creamy like Velveeta. Bummer. Wish I’d just used the real thing.
same here, when heated it became grainy and sand like, separated cheese, it was horrible
Hi Michelle, Can you tell me if i can use this for Mac and Cheese? I want to make it today for tomorrow if it is possible?
Can this be used for Mac and Cheese or not?
Hi Dorthy, Yes, you can use this for mac and cheese.