American cheese is a processed cheese, and while it might taste good and melt easily, many of us want something a bit more natural. So, what’s the solution? Homemade American cheese is a delicious way to enjoy all that we love about creamy-melty American cheese without artificial processing. This version is especially delicious and super easy to make. I’ll show you how!

It all starts with water and sodium citrate. Sodium citrate is a salt of citric acid, officially called trisodium citrate dihydrate . It will play an important role in creating that familiar texture we know to be American cheese. I start by creating the water and sodium citrate solution and then slowly whisk in three different kinds of cheese: sharp cheddar, gouda, and parmesan cheese. The cheese will melt and transform into a cheese sauce.

Next, I pour the cheese sauce into a prepared loaf pan and refrigerate for a good bit of time, anywhere from an hour to overnight. The cheese will set into a familiar brick-like shape that we know for larger blocks of cheese.

Now, you can enjoy this in just about any way you like, but I’m going straight to a classic grilled cheese sandwich. The cheese slices easily and already have that creamy texture that is so comforting about American cheese. It melts beautifully…just look at this gooey cheese as it oozes deliciously from the edges of the toasted sandwich!

Fresh cheese will last up to one month in the fridge, so you’ve got one month to enjoy all of the melty cheesy goodness from a homemade batch of American cheese. Store-bought has its obvious conveniences, but scratch-made cheese is something special. It’s a deliciously fascinating experience with a little bit of food science. Enjoy!