Boursin Cheese is a soft, herb-filled creamy cheese that works as a dip or a spread. It’s the perfect appetizer to serve with vegetables and crackers, or you can add it into salads, pasta, chicken recipes, or even bake with it. Homemade Boursin Cheese goes well with just about everything!
What’s in Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese?
Homemade Boursin Cheese is one of my new but great loves. This creamy cheese is simply amazing. The thing that makes this soft cheese so good is all of the fresh herbs! Mixing them in with the cream cheese creates the most amazing flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Forms the base of this recipe. Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best results.
- Unsalted Butter: Combines with the cream cheese to make this spread crumbly and unbelievably tasty. If using salted butter, omit the kosher salt.
- Herbs: Kosher salt, garlic powder, dill, marjoram, basil, chives, black pepper, thyme, and parsley make up the herbs in this copycat recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: A bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds salty and tangy flavor.
Boursin Cheese is the perfect party appetizer to serve with veggies and crackers. If you make it in advance, it can always be ready to pull out when unexpected company drops by.
Variations on Boursin Cheese Spread
By mixing in your favorite herbs, you can customize this cheese and even create your signature blend.
Add minced shallots and chives to recreate the Shallot & Chive flavor or basil and chives to recreate the Basil & Chive flavor. Add some caramelized onions to recreate the Caramelized Onion & Herbs flavor. Or use dried garlic, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and parsley to mimic their newer Chimichurri Style Cheese.
Create a custom blend using Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, or everything bagel seasoning. For a sweet Boursin spread, try adding some pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon-sugar. Balsamic glaze would also make a wonderful addition! Don’t be afraid to get creative!
Boursin Cheese was first developed in the 1950s by François Boursin, in the Normandy region of France. It’s a flavored cream cheese filled with all kinds of tasty herbs. This recipe can be used as a dip or a spread, and it’s just so good–you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!
Authentic Boursin is made from Gournay cheese, which is similar to cream cheese but crumblier. We approximate that soft, crumbly, spreadable texture by mixing cream cheese and butter.
Yes! Both the actual brand-name product and this recipe are certified gluten-free!
This soft cheese recipe will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This cheese tastes best at room temperature, so let it sit out for a bit before serving.
I do not recommend freezing homemade Boursin Cheese, as the texture will change during the freeze/thaw process, leading to a grainy spread.
Not particularly! Boursin is high in calories, saturated fats, and cholesterol. You can make it a bit healthier by using low-fat cream cheese, but it is still best to enjoy Boursin Cheese in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
How to Store
Store leftover Boursin Cheese in an airtight container just large enough to hold the cheese. Squeeze out as much air as possible, then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Boursin Cheese is best enjoyed at room temperature, so let the cheese sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. I do not recommend freezing this cream cheese spread.
Serving Suggestions
Boursin Cheese shines as a dip, but that’s not where it ends. It adds tremendous flavor to potatoes (baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes). Spread it onto crackers, crostini, or a bagel.
We use Boursin in so many of our favorite recipes. Here are a few to consider: Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breast, Basil Cream Chicken Skillet, Hot Onion Dip, Cheesy Pancetta-Wrapped Chicken.
Mix it into these Tortilla Cream Cheese Roll-Ups for some extra flavor, or add it to your favorite pasta salad. Get creative, be daring, and find new ways to use Boursin.
Homemade Boursin Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 bricks)
- 8 ounces unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter; mix well.16 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces unsalted butter
- Add remaining seasonings and mix well.½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, ½ teaspoon dried marjoram, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried chives, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- Season to taste.
- Serve at room temperature, as a dip, or add to some of your favorite savory recipes.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use brick-style cream cheese for the best results.
- If using salted butter, omit the kosher salt.
- Store refrigerated in an airtight container just large enough to hold the cheese. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
Nutrition Information
Superb recipe. Left the kefir to drain for 3 days. Beautiful. Thanks.
Can I use whipped cream cheese?
You can try, but I haven’t tested this, so I can’t guarantee it will work!
Hi! Just wondering if you can replace the dried herbs with fresh? I have a fairly substantial herb garden and always looking for ways to use them!
I don’t see why not!
Won’t store as long though
An excellent substitute for overpriced Boursin cheese! This time I reduced the butter by half and found that to be quite enough. I also encourage everyone to prepare this at least a day ahead so that the dry ingredients can soften…then stir together again, place into ramekins and serve. Thank you…a very nice recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing what worked for you, Linda!
Absolutely wonderful garlic herb cheese spread. Couldn’t stop eating it as I was making it!! Your post explained everything perfectly. Thank you for a yummy spread.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Janet! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Got curious about Boursin Cheese when a friend mentioned it as an add in to mashed potatoes and found this recipe. My sister and I decided to try it today. Only had to purchase 8 ounces of of cream cheese and some Parmesan as my sister had the rest of the ingredients in her spice and herb supply. YUMMIE! Will definitely use it in mashed potatoes and as a topping for baked potatoes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Rose! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I made this with kefir cheese instead of cream cheese…still came out tasting delicious. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing what worked for you, Anne Marie!
I made this recipe and it turned out the way I remembered tasting it in the past which was store bought but what makes this better is the amount I needed and the cost to make it. Very excited and pleased
So glad you enjoyed it, Doris!
I tried this recipe, exactly as written for Thanksgiving. It was awful, no one wanted to eat it. It was hard and very bitter. The herbs didn’t really have flavor over the heaviness of the cream cheese and butter so the overall flavor was bitter salt. So disappointed.
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you!
I tried it too. It wasn’t good very crumbley. I feel like a 1/2 lb. of butter is too much
I read the recipe and it calls for 16 oz. cream cheese but I can’t find goat cheese as an ingredient.
There isn’t any goat cheese in this recipe!