Name: Homemade "Velveeta" Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb. cheddar cheese; 1 tbsp. gelatin; 1 cup milk; 1 tsp. salt

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Homemade Velveeta Cheese is easy to make at home with just four ingredients and a food processor! It takes like ten minutes to make and works great in place of real Velveeta in recipes.

the finished block of velveeta cheese on a platter

Easy Homemade Velveeta Cheese from Scratch

Did you know you can make homemade Velveeta cheese at home? Yes! Or, a copycat Velveeta cheese, anyway. (Because who actually has milk protein concentrate and sodium phosphate in their home - not me!)

It's really easy to make copycat Velveeta and we were impressed with the texture and flavor of it! You do need to be a little careful when melting it though, if you heat it too hot, too fast, it'll turn grainy. (Which makes sense, it doesn't have all those modified, ultra-processed ingredients that genuine Velveeta contains!) Even so, it melts a little different than regular Velveeta. It'll be a little more stringy since it's made with real cheese.

So anyway. If you're like me and enjoy making copycat, DIY recipes that are better than store-bought, here's another recipe for you - DIY Velveeta! Homemade Mac-n-Cheese, coming right up 🙂

Ingredients

Cheese - I'm using mild cheddar cheese again today. Make sure you get an actual block of real cheese to shred at home for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese won't melt too well!
Milk - I'll be using raw milk, but any should be just fine!
Gelatin - I have this It's Just gelatin powder
Salt (not pictured) - Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Supplies You'll Need (and what we used)

Measuring cups and spoons
Saucepan - for heating the milk
Whisk - for stirring
Cheese grater
Food processor - this food processor was a wedding gift and it's still going strong, despite the many batches of butter (and many other things like Velveeta) it has made! Fun fact, I don't have a blender, so I'm not sure if that would work instead of a food processor for this recipe?
A mold - or a dish of some kind. I used a little foil loaf pan this time, but I have also used a bread pan for this.

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How to make Homemade Velveeta Cheese from Scratch

First, grate the cheese. (You do not want to use pre-shredded cheese from the store for this!) I like to let the shredded cheese sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, that way it processes nicer.

Prepare the mold you plan to use, by giving the inside a spray of non-stick cooking spray or rubbing with oil or butter.

Heat the milk on the stovetop. You don't want it to boil, just heat until it's steamy and foamy on top.

Milk heating in the saucepan with the gelatin sitting nearby

Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the warm milk and whisk the mixture, until the gelatin dissolves.

whisking the milk and gelatin in the saucepan

Put the shredded cheese in the food processor. Then pour the milk mixture in on top.

Pulse on high speed for several minutes until nice and smooth! (You'll likely need to stop halfway through to scrape down the sides.)

Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared mold and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or more.

a pan of homemade velveeta cheese ready for the fridge

Pop the cheese out of the mold (you may need to use a knife or something to loosen the edges) and into your storage container. And there you have it - "Velveeta" cheese!

How long does homemade Velveeta last?

Up to one week. Depending how it was stored and used, it can last up to two weeks! (Store it in an airtight container, and don't let it sit out of the fridge for long periods of time over dinner time 🙂

How to store Homemade Velveeta Cheese

Store the Velveeta cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Can you freeze homemade Velveeta cheese?

Yes! You can freeze homemade Velveeta for up to 3 months in an airtight package.

(If you have a vacuum sealer, that would work great, I think!)

Why is my homemade Velveeta cheese grainy?

There are several reasons why your Velveeta could be grainy.

The gelatin didn't dissolve
The cheese mixture wasn't pulsed long enough
The Velveeta was heated too quickly
The Velveeta was heated too hot (you don't really want it to boil!)

I would also wonder, at what point was it grainy? Just after you processed it? Then likely the gelatin didn't dissolve or you didn't pulse long enough.

If it turned grainy when you used it in a recipe, it likely was heated too quickly or too hot.

Tips, Tricks and Notes on making Homemade Velveeta

Make sure you buy a block of cheddar and shred it yourself for this recipe! Store-bought pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking stuff, so it won't melt nice and smooth.

When using homemade Velveeta, melt very slowly and not super hot. If heated too fast and/or heated too hot, it will likely become grainy!

the finished block of velveeta cheese on a platter with a knife laying nearby

Recipes with Velveeta Cheese

You can use homemade Velveeta anywhere you'd normally use bought Velveeta cheese! Here are a few recipes I make that include Velveeta cheese:

If you like this recipe...

...you might also like:

DIY Homemade Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup recipe

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Marshmallows

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homemade velveeta cheese recipe pin image

approx. 1 lb.