Homemade Boursin is a garlic and herb spread inspired by the classic French cheese ~ takes just minutes to make and it’s ready to party with your favorite crackers.
I’m so excited to share my homemade Boursin cheese recipe with you, it’s phenomenal. The combination of fresh garlic, mixed herbs, and soft cheese mixture is so good, you won’t be able to stop tasting it. Better invite some friends over asap.
What readers are saying
➡ “Just made this and it is delicious. I put some on a cracker and asked my husband what he thought it was – he got it on the first bite. Took some over to his mom and she said the same thing. Thank you for a great recipe.”
➡ “Made this for a football game get-together! Now I know to double the recipe! It went home with several friends.”
➡ “The best dupe for Boursin ever!”
The simple list of ingredients:
Boursin s a French Gournay-style cheese. The classic Boursin cheese herbs are just parsley and chives, but I’ve rounded out the herb mixture to include dill, tarragon, and a touch of thyme. The larger mix of herbs gives my cheese a more robust, herby flavor, I think you’re going to love it…
- cream cheese ~ this forms the base of my homemade Boursin.
- Note: This homemade Boursin-style cheese is creamier than the packaged version. Store-bought Boursin has a unique crumbly, pressed texture that’s difficult to recreate at home, but the fresh garlic-herb flavor here is spot on.
- goat cheese ~ adds tang and a fuller, more sophisticated flavor than cream cheese alone.
- butter ~ it gives this homemade Boursin-style cheese richness and a firmer set once chilled,
- garlic ~ fresh garlic adds an appealing punch.
- granulated or minced onion ~ I use an amazing granulated toasted onion from Penzy’s.
- assorted herbs, I use a combination of fresh and dried herbs:
- fresh chives and thyme
- dried parsley, tarragon and dill
How to make homemade garlic and herbed cheese spread
I used my stand mixer with the paddle attachment to make this cheese. You can also do it by hand, but the mixer makes it a bit cleaner and easier.
- Start by mixing the cream cheese with the softened butter and garlic. Blend until well combined.
- Add the goat cheese and herbs, salt and pepper, and blend until well combined. Do this gently, without whipping the cheese.
- Give the cheese a taste to adjust.
- Pack into an airtight container and refrigerate for 6 hours, or overnight. This allows the flavors to develop.
You’re asking
Yes, for sure! Try herbes de Provence for a different flavor. Using good quality dried herbs is important so make sure they haven’t been sitting in your cupboard for a year. My microwave method for drying fresh herbs works great, and when you do it yourself, you get the biggest bang for your buck.
Yes! Be sure to mince them finely. I don’t recommend using basil because it tends to oxidize.
Yes, you could use low fat cream cheese, but your texture won’t be quite as nice. For a party/appetizer cheese, use full-fat. This is one of those recipes where the fat is doing real work.
Homemade Boursin-style cheese will keep for about 4–5 days in the refrigerator, tightly covered. Let it sit out for 15–20 minutes before serving so it softens to a spreadable texture.
Heads up!
Homemade Boursin cheese makes the best host gift. Pack it into a cute Weck jar and bring it with the recipe attached.
Serving your homemade cheese spread
- I get many questions about the brand of cracker I used in the photos…they are Lesley Stowe Rainforest Crisps.
- You can make your own crisp crackers, check out my Copycat Raincoast Crisps® Crackers ~ they’re amazing and get rave reviews.
- You can use your cheese as a base for many kinds of simple savory tarts, like my Mushroom & Boursin Puff Pastry Tart or my Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart.
- It’s once of the delicious layers in my 7 Layer Smoked Salmon Dip.
- This cheese is always a hit on a cheese board, and in my How to Make an Epic Cheese Board post I’ll show you how to make adorable Boursin pinecones, with sliced almonds.
- Slather it on baked potatoes, corn on the cob, green beans or grilled steak.
- Crumble it on green salads.
- Fold into scrambled eggs for a super Egg Tartine.
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Homemade Boursin Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, brick style
- 4 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature
- 1 large clove of garlic, grated or put through a garlic press
- 4 ounces goat cheese, log style
- 2 tsp fresh chives, snipped into tiny pieces
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 pinch sea salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- Put the cream cheese, butter, and garlic in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a silicone spatula. Blend together until well combined.
- Add the goat cheese, herbs, and spices. Blend again until well combined. Do not beat air into the cheese. Taste to adjust any of the flavorings to your liking. Feel free to adjust here ~ you may want more herbs, or extra pepper.
- Put the cheese into an airtight jar or container and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
- Serve with crackers of your choice.
- Plan to use your homemade Boursin cheese within a week or so.
Notes
Nutrition
How to use your homemade Boursin cheese
Copycat Raincoast Crisps® Crackers
Homemade Raincoast Crisps are a copycat version of the famously beautiful and crunchy crackers that dominate cheese boards everywhere, and they're so easy to make!
Mushroom & Boursin Puff Pastry Tart
Mushroom & Boursin Puff Pastry Tart is a multi-tasking dress-it-up or dress-it-down kind of dish that takes a couple of minutes to throw together and impresses everybody.
Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms
Juicy baked mushroom caps stuffed with creamy Boursin cheese ~ this ultra easy appetizer will be the hit of your next party, guaranteed!
Boursin Butter
A cheesy spread made with Boursin and butter to slather on anything and everything!
What a great site! Just stumbled across it because I was curious about Boursin and I feel like the first guy in the California gold rush must have felt when he came across a gold nugget in a creek – I’ll back for more! Thanks so much, Sue.
Welcome in Barbara ~ you stumbled on a good one for your first experience here 🙂
Made this to bring to Christmas dinner. Used 1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese, 2 oz. goat cheese and 2 oz. whipped cream cheese. Only 1 tsp each of dried herbs, didn’t want to be overwhelming. Very good. Brought a little home, going to add it to roasted cauliflower soup I found online. And I did use 1 large garlic clove that I grated with zester.
I love the idea of adding this to soup, that’s inspired, Beverly 🙂
I’m replying so I can keep your ideas. They sound good!
Just made this and it is delicious. I put some on a cracker and asked my husband what he thought it was – he got it on the first bite. Took some over to his mom and she said the same thing. I couldn’t find whipped cream cheese so I used 1.5 bricks but softened it in the microwave first. I also added about 2 tbsp. of goat cheese to give it some tang. Thank you for a great recipe.
You’re so welcome 🙂
I’ve not seen these crackers in the grocery store, but someone mentioned Trader Joe’s, and I did just buy their fig and olive crackers that look a lot like this. Now I can’t wait to make this Boursin cheese spread to serve with them! Sue, thank you so much for your blog,! You have nice photography, and I like the lovely way you word things. You have a gift!
Thank you SO much Renate, you can’t know how much comments like this mean to me 🙂 Have a wonderful holiday.
Hi Sue
Wondering if I could do this with the home made yogurt cheese? Please also what is the recipe for the delicious looking crackers in the picture
Thanks
Jennie
I haven’t tried this with yogurt cheese but I think it would be great. And the crackers are Rainforest Crisps, you can find them in most supermarkets.
Just an FYI, the actual name of the crackers are Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisps.
There are several different versions of their crackers. Do you remember which ones, specifically, those are? I love the idea of all of the whole seeds and nuts in them.
Delicious!!! Love this recipe without adding butter!!!
Yeah, I don’t think butter is necessary in this cheese. Glad you liked it Connie 🙂
Was it decided that you could freeze it? I would like to make some in advance and the thaw package and give as gifts.
I believe you can freeze this, Nan, but I haven’t tried it myself, so can’t confirm.
You lovely kind girl, sharing your wonderful idea with everyone! I am definately going to do this, at the moment I freeze herbs and the containers take up quite a lot of room. Problem solved thankyou so much. Also going to try your Boursin.
Hi, The recipe sounds great, could you use sour cream with the cream cheese instead of butter to get the same result
Thank you!!!!!
I don’t see why not, sour cream sounds good to me.
Thanks so much for this lovely recipe and the information on the herbs. I experimented a bit and really liked the way the boursin tastes when I add fresh goat cheese to the cream in a ratio of approx 1/3 goat and 2/3 cream cheese. It also helps that crumbly texture.
Thanks Rusty!