This cup cheese recipe only takes 4 ingredients and was passed down from my Great-Grandma Kauffman, who loved to help us make huge batches of this cheese spread with American cheese for the Amish after church meal. Some like to use cottage cheese in their cup cheese, but this easy recipe with American cheese and water produces the same creamy and spreadable results! Try this cup cheese with Amish soft pretzels, or spread it on a slice of Amish honey bread with Peanut butter spread (the bread and peanut butter spread were an after church staple in the Amish church)! You can also use it similar to Queso for smothered burritos, chips, pretzels and more!
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Amish Cup Cheese (church cheese spread)
Equipment
- sauce pan (linked below)
- Whisk (linked below)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. white American cheese (full fat) *see note below recipe card
- 1 cup water *see note
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place American cheese in a medium saucepan. Add water, then melt on med-low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the baking soda and salt and continue stirring until no lumps remain.
- Remove from heat and cover with a butter wrapper to prevent a skin from forming, if you do not have a butter wrapper you can simply remove the skin that forms to prevent lumps.
- Chill cheese until set and keep refrigerated for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
Equipment needed for this Amish cup cheese (church spread cheese):
- Medium Saucepan I prefer to use a medium sauce pan with a lid, because I like to set my cup cheese outside in the winter, or in an ice bath in the summer, to chill it before refrigeration.
- Whisk I also prefer to use a wire handled whisk for this Amish cheese sauce.
This cup cheese also pairs beautifully with my recipes for:
- Whole wheat bread recipe,
- Copycat Red lobster biscuits
- Amish soft pretzels made with yeast
- Amish soft pretzel garlic knots
- Amish white honey bread (Mom’s recipe)
- Amish 60 minute dinner rolls
- Amish honey oatmeal dinner rolls (freezer friendly)
- Amish soft pretzel pigs in a blanket
- Amish spiced apple pie (yes, it’s literally an Amish family favorite way to use our “shmear kaes”).
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Keep scrolling for additional notes and photos on this Amish cup cheese recipe.
Feel free to pin for later and show off your creation by tagging me on Instagram.
Can I double this cup cheese recipe?
This cheese spread recipe can easily be doubled and tripled! I use a 1 to 1 ratio as a rule for the cheese and water. Brands can make a difference in how much water is needed as well, generally I get my White American cheese from Walmart in 5 lb. packages and then I freeze some of the American cheese to use at a later date.
If using reduced fat American cheese or prepackaged slices from a supermarket you may need to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup less water.
Do the Amish really use American cheese?
Some Amish of the ultra conservative types do not use American cheese, but use cottage cheese or cheeses they have made at home. The branch of Lancaster Amish (think the Nickle Mines School Shooting movies like “Amish Grace”) that I grew up in did eat pretty much whatever we wanted to from the grocery stores as long as it fit inside our propane refrigerators or the neighbor’s freezer (we weren’t permitted to have our own electricity). My great grandmother passed along this recipe for Amish spread cheese made with American cheese, she is also the mother of a well known Amish romance novelist. So yes, we did eat processed foods and weren’t quite the cave men the movies and books like to portray. 🙂
While growing up Amish, Cup Cheese was an important staple in our diet. After church we would form lines and file into barns, garages or basements of the host family’s home. Then we would sit down on backless benches at long wooden tables filled with food, such as white honey bread, pickles, jam, peanut butter spread, cup cheese and apple shnitz pies. There was always plenty of food and after being pricked all forenoon by those many pins holding my apron, cape and cap in place, eating all that delicious food felt like a reward!
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Thank you for this recipe. I just tried it today, and it is super simple. 😊 I love all the recipe ideas!
I am home baker I want to more better
Is the cheese the white Velvetta?
I’ve never used white Velveeta, but we typically use white American cheese or you can use yellow American cheese, which can be found at most Walmarts or supercenters.
I am all about anything cheese! However I am curious about the water? I have made a similar cheese dip/sauce with milk but never heard of using water. What is the reason for water? I’m not trying to seem rude, I’m genuinely curious.
My Aunt actually makes her cup cheese with milk too! I believe the results are very similar. And thanks for asking!
Can you use cheddar cheese instead of an american cheese?
I have never tried it, so unfortunately I can’t recommend it sorry!
You can also use Yellow American, if that helps.
Hi
Please suggest an European cheese alternative to USA white cheese ?
Thanks
Google suggested Gouda, as a substitute. I have never tried it so can’t tell you how it would work in the recipe but it’s worth a try!
Just curious what is the purpose of the baking soda
I believe it’s mainly for flavor.
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