Philadelphia Just Launched a New Cream Cheese Flavor That’ll Transport You Straight to France (It’s 10x Better than the Original!)

When you think of cream cheese, Philadelphia is probably the brand that comes to mind. Ironically, the rich and tangy spread was actually first invented in New York in 1872, but became associated with Philadelphia a few years later, thanks to some crafty marketing promoting the city’s then-robust dairy industry — and the name just stuck. 

The company isn’t afraid to get creative with its products, either, as they’ve launched fun and limited-edition flavors over the years. Beyond the original, you can find chive & onion, strawberry, garden vegetable, and more cream cheese tubs at the grocery store (including several plant-based versions!). Just a few weeks ago, Philadelphia launched a new whipped French onion cream cheese. 

As a big fan of bagels and anything Paris-related (hello, Olympics), I secured some samples and gathered up The Kitchn team to get to spreading. Here’s how it all went down.

Inspired by the beloved dip, the French onion cream cheese adds dried onion and parsley to the whipped spread. It comes in the classic gray and white Philadelphia 7.5-ounce containers that hold enough for seven servings. It launched in July and is available at retailers nationwide, including Walmart and Kroger, along with Chipotle cream cheese that’s “a little spicy, but good,” says Andrea, social media manager at The Kitchn. 

The company is also bringing back its fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice flavor in the classic style — not whipped. (If you’re ready to embrace fall in August, stock up now.)  

Nothing perks me up more than bagels on a gloomy Wednesday morning, and a new cream cheese (or two) to try alongside them — especially whipped ones. The fluffy spread, in my opinion, is far superior to your standard cream cheese, with its light-as-air texture and easy spreadability. If it’s offered, I will pick it over anything else every time. 

I grabbed a sliced everything bagel from the office kitchen and spread it generously with the French onion cream cheese. One bite transported me back to a quaint streetside cafe along the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. 

I was concerned the onion might overwhelm the cream cheese, but was pleasantly surprised to discover just the opposite. It had that same subtle tang with just a punch of caramelized onion flavor. Executive Director of Brand Innovation & Strategy and big French onion fan, Kate Edler, was equally impressed, adding that the onion flavor was spot-on and “exactly what I’d expect.” 

“It balances out the richness of the cream cheese,” says Mara, senior editor, groceries. While she doesn’t often buy flavored cream cheeses (unless ordering at a bagel shop), she would “totally pick this up for a group breakfast … it would make a great cream cheese board.” 

Beyond bagels, it would be a no-brainer with crudité, crackers, or chips for an easy game-day snack. If you wanted to get really wild with it, you could spread some on top of a baguette, sprinkle on some cheese, and have the ultimate accompaniment for — you guessed it — French onion soup. 

Buy: Philadelphia French Onion Whipped Cream Cheese Spread, starting at $4.99 for 7.5 ounces at Instacart 

Have you tried Philadelphia’s new cream cheese? Tell us about it in the comments below.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Philadelphia Just Launched a New Cream Cheese Flavor That’ll Transport You Straight to Paris (It’s 100x Better than the Original!)