For many of us, a cheese spread such as Alouette or Boursin may have been among our first “fancy” cheeses. Fluffy and creamy, bedazzled with herbs, they were like eating chip dip in cheese form. While our cheese palates may have matured to include more cheeses of a more complex nature, we are not immune to the nostalgic draw and crave-able taste of creamy, fluffy, spreadable cheeses. Aided and abetted by social media trends, where cheeses like brie, feta or ricotta are subjected to the food processor with added ingredients for a spreadable and flavorful effect, many new and existing brands in the spreadable or whipped cheese category are cashing in on the moment, putting forward new products, new packaging, new flavors, or just reminders of their existence. Another increasingly common innovation is a generous dusting of spice or herbal toppings. See our recipe for whipped ricotta.
History of Whipped Cheese Spreads
Vintage Boursin ads
Arguably the grandparent of the category, Boursin as we know it, was first launched in 1963, after a happy accident. Francois Boursin founded his cheese company in 1957 to make a soft cheese called Gournay, but garlic and herbs didn’t enter the picture until a French newspaper mistakenly reported the launch of a garlic-flavored Boursin cheese, which didn’t yet exist. According to Boursin’s website, the public liked the idea, and so Boursin went to work in order to make it a reality. Riffing off a party dish called fromage frais, the original recipe blends the soft Gournay cheese with garlic, cream, herbs, salt, and pepper. The success of the product led to many other French cheesemakers developing their own versions.
The Appeal of Cheese Spreads
Light and fluffy whipped cheese spreads that are widely available in supermarkets speak to an element of affordable luxury that can be achieved in one’s own kitchen. “As people are adapting to the current inflationary environment and eating out less often, they’re still craving a premium food experience, but in a way that is easy to achieve at home,” says Katie Herrmann, Brand Director of Boursin, who also notes that social media has definitely helped spur the craving. Convenience also plays a factor — not everyone is going to whip out the blender and various ingredients when prepared cheeses with a similar vibe are already on hand and good to go. “We’ve observed a growing interest in gourmet, spreadable cheese, as consumers seek out innovative, versatile, convenient, and flavorful options that are easy to incorporate in everyday snacks and meals, and are also impressive to serve,” says Roxanna Yunus, Senior Marketing Manager, Président Gourmet Spreads.
Many of these cheeses also offer tremendous culinary versatility, creating a quick but luxurious sauce for pasta, or an instant omelet upgrade. “Influencers and home chefs alike are constantly creating new ways to enjoy spreadable cheeses, making them a staple in food and recipe content,” says Herrmann.
Cheese Spread Flavors
Alouette with toppings
Also in line with social media trends that put cheese together with all manner of inclusions, brands have also looked beyond the standard garlic and herb, though that is very much still at the forefront of the spreadable cheese category. “There’s a lot of work that goes into the development of new products, but the inspiration was clear to give consumers exciting flavor combinations they crave,” says Yunus. Rondelé by Président recently rolled out one of the more unique combinations I found — Mango Habanero — whose genuine heat is not for the faint of heart, balanced with sweet and tangy mango.
According to Yunus, “We are seeing a real appetite for adventurous flavors, and Mango Habanero delivers that on all fronts, and aligns with the rising trend of spicy and fusion flavors.” Other new to the market or limited edition flavors among various brands include variations on a theme, such as Boursin’s Rosemary and Black Garlic, or new approaches altogether such as Alouette’s sweet take with Cheesecake, and Delve’s Mediterranean-inspired flavors such as Basil Pesto Parm. A report from Grand View Research on the specialty cheese market shows that the flavored cheese category is expected to grow in the coming years (something we also saw at ACS in 2024) so there’s more of this to come.
The Best Cheese Spreads
With a variety of pedigrees and histories, and whether whipped or blended, if you’re looking to indulge in the spreadable cheese moment, here are six brands to have on your radar right now.
Boursin
5.3 ounces, $7.99
Served in a familiar foil-wrapped puck, with a fluffy yet dense character, Boursin is available in a variety of mostly allium-forward flavors. Beyond the flagship Garlic & Fine Herbs, which is flavored with parsley and chives, other flavors include Shallot & Chive, Basil & Chive, Cracked Black Pepper, Fig & Balsamic, and Caramelized Onion & Herbs. Boursin also makes a non-dairy version of its flagship flavor.
Alouette
6.5 ounces, $7.99
Founded in 1974, Alouette was born in Pennsylvania, but designed by French cheese master Jean-Noel Bongrain, in order to bring the fromage frais sensibility to the U.S. (The name Alouette means “lark” in French, a nod to the cheese’s party pedigree.) As a “soft, spreadable cheese,” Alouette’s recipe is more akin to cream cheese, with a slightly denser texture than some of the others in the category.
Alouette currently has some of the largest variety of flavors, also similar to what is available in the cream cheese department of your local bagel spot: Garlic & Herbs, Cheesecake, Toasted Everything, Smoky Jalapeño, Spinach & Artichoke, and Garden Vegetable.
Madame Loik
5.29 ounces, $5.99
Madame Loik is a brand of whipped cheese founded by Brittany-based Payson Bretan in 2000. A top pick by cheese personality and author Gordon Edgar, Madame Loik has a base of fromage frais, and is both creamy in texture, but light on the palate. Its signature flavor, Shallot & Chive, is one of the few to only feature alliums without other herbs, but with a noticeable touch of salt. Other flavors include Sea Salt, Fine Herbs, and Black Fig.
Rondelé by Presidént
8 ounces, $6.99
Introduced by dairy powerhouse Président in 2011, the Rondelé by Président line is among the fluffiest of the cheeses here, easily scoopable via your favorite cheese scooping method. On that theme, the brand also produces convenient snack pack cups (even spotted in my local CVS) which include crackers, honing in on the snackable nature of the category. Besides the aforementioned Garlic & Herbs and Mango Habanero, other available flavors include Garden Veggie, Artichoke & Garlic, Light Garlic & Herbs, and Sea Salt & Pepper. The brand also recently introduced new packaging with a resealable top that offers consumers more product for the same price.
Soignon
4.94 ounces, $5.99
While fresh chèvre is arguably a spreadable cheese in its own right, whipped and herbaceous goat cheese has also officially entered the picture. Soignon was founded as a goat cheese dairy in 1895, but just introduced its La Fouette line — labeled as Whipped Goat’s Milk Cheese in the U.S. market — this year. As a goat’s milk cheese, it’s especially fluffy, with a flavor that is less tangy than traditional chèvre, but dramatically bright compared to the other cow’s milk cheeses in the lineup and deliciously buttery. Soignon’s whipped flavors include Garlic & Herbs and Plain, for those who crave the texture in its simplest form.
Delve
6 ounces, $5.99
Rolled out by parent company Schuman Cheese in 2025, Delve is an appropriately-named line of cheese-based dips and spreads. With a mascarpone base for exceptional creaminess, the brand leans Mediterranean in its offering, with three flavors: Garlic Herb Asiago, Basil Pesto Parm, and Whipped Feta, which blends mascarpone with Dodoni Feta, topped with paprika and red pepper.