The fastest safe ways to thaw or soften cream cheese are a warm water bath or very short microwave bursts.

Warm water bath (best fast method)

• Make sure the cream cheese is in a completely sealed wrapper (or put it in a tightly sealed zip-top bag).
• Fill a bowl with warm tap water (hot but not scalding/boiling).
• Submerge the wrapped cream cheese and let it sit 5–15 minutes, flipping it once or twice; check and knead it gently through the wrapper to evenly soften.

Microwave method (fastest but risky)

• Unwrap the cream cheese and place it on a microwave‑safe plate (or cut into cubes in a bowl to help it soften evenly).
• Microwave on low/medium power in 10–15 second bursts, turning or stirring between each burst.
• Stop as soon as it is soft but still cool; do not let it melt or bubble, especially if you need it for frosting or cheesecake.

Extra tips

• If you have 20–30 minutes, cutting the cream cheese into cubes and leaving it at room temperature on a plate is easy and gentle.
• For very smooth texture after quick-thawing, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or whisk to remove graininess.