Not Cheddar, Not American — Grilled Cheese Is So Much Creamier When You Use This Cheese

TL;DR

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The Kitchn’s Celia Funderburk tested Cooper Sharp White in a grilled cheese and rated its melt and flavor highly. Her report describes a creamy texture and mild sharpness; it is a personal review, not a controlled comparison or a claim that the cheese is objectively best.

The Kitchn’s Celia Funderburk says Cooper Sharp White made a particularly creamy, well-melted grilled cheese in her recent taste test, offering a sharper flavor than standard American slices without the pronounced tang of aged cheddar. The report is a personal food review, not a head-to-head test establishing that the cheese is best for every sandwich.

Funderburk writes that she tried Cooper Sharp White after asking colleagues for suggestions on grilled-cheese cheeses. Food Editor Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn recommended it, describing it as a “sharp American cheese.” The report also mentions Provel, a St. Louis-area blend of cheddar, Swiss and provolone, as another suggestion from a colleague.

In her own cooking test, Funderburk says the cheese melted smoothly and produced a notably gooey texture. She describes the flavor as rich and creamy, with a subtle sharp, tangy edge. She gave it a 10 out of 10 in her taste and cheese-pull tests, a score that reflects her assessment rather than a standardized rating.

The article says Cooper Sharp White is made with milk and a blend of aged cheeses, distinguishing it from individually wrapped processed cheese slices. It reports that the cheese is aged for 100 to 180 days, which the writer connects to its relatively mild sharpness. The review does not provide a price, detailed recipe, or nutritional comparison.

A Different Balance of Melt and Flavor

For home cooks choosing cheese for a grilled sandwich, the review points to a trade-off: meltability and flavor do not have to come from the same familiar option. Funderburk’s experience suggests Cooper Sharp White can deliver the smooth melt associated with American-style cheese while bringing more tang and character than standard slices.

That can be useful for readers who find cheddar flavorful but want a softer, more unified melt, or who enjoy American cheese but want a bolder taste. The article does not establish that Cooper Sharp White melts better than all other cheeses, and results may depend on slice thickness, bread, heat and cooking time. Its value is as a tested suggestion for a simple, low-effort meal—not a universal rule about grilled cheese.

How the Cheese Differs

The Kitchn report contrasts Cooper Sharp White with two common choices: sharp cheddar and classic American cheese. Cheddar can bring a pronounced flavor, while American cheese is widely used in grilled cheese for its smooth melt. The writer’s interest was finding an option that combined a creamy texture with a more noticeable cheese flavor.

According to the article, American cheese is made by blending other cheeses with emulsifiers to create a smooth product. Cooper Sharp White is described as “American-adjacent”: it is made from milk and aged cheeses, with aging contributing to its sharper profile. The report says its 100-to-180-day aging period is shorter than the 18-to-24-month or longer aging cited for extra-sharp cheese. These details are presented by the source; the article does not include independent product testing or technical specifications beyond them.

“sharp American cheese”

— Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn, The Kitchn food editor, as quoted in the report

What the Taste Test Cannot Show

The source provides one writer’s experience, not a blind tasting or a controlled comparison with cheddar, provolone or other American-style cheeses. It does not state how much cheese she used, the precise cooking temperature, or whether the cheese was sliced or shredded for the test. Those details can affect how a grilled cheese melts.

The report also does not establish where readers can find Cooper Sharp White, whether availability varies by region, or what it costs. Its 10-out-of-10 score is a personal judgment, and other cooks may prefer a stronger cheddar flavor, a different texture or another cheese entirely.

Readers Can Test It at Home

The article closes by asking readers whether they have tried Cooper Sharp White in a grilled cheese and inviting them to share their experiences. It announces no product launch, formal study or follow-up test. For now, the reported development is a published recommendation based on a single food writer’s kitchen test.

Readers interested in comparing it with their usual cheese can make the sandwiches under similar conditions and judge both melt and flavor. The source does not provide a standardized recipe, so any comparison would remain informal unless a later report supplies a controlled method or additional testers.

Key Questions

Which cheese does The Kitchn report recommend?

The report recommends Cooper Sharp White for grilled cheese, based on Celia Funderburk’s personal taste test.

How did Cooper Sharp White perform in the review?

Funderburk said it melted smoothly and tasted rich and creamy, with a mild sharpness. She rated its taste and cheese pull 10 out of 10, a subjective score.

Is Cooper Sharp White the same as packaged American cheese?

Not according to the report. It describes Cooper Sharp White as an American-adjacent cheese made from milk and a blend of aged cheeses, rather than the same product as individually wrapped processed slices.

Does the report prove it is better than cheddar?

No. The article presents one writer’s opinion and does not describe a controlled, side-by-side comparison. It says Cooper Sharp White was her new favorite, but preferences and cooking results can differ.

Source: rss