Tillamook Cheddar Cheese Products

Q: How long do you age your cheddar cheeses? What makes them “sharp?"

https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/all?flavor=cheddar develop their flavors through the natural process of aging. The longer they age, the “sharper” and more flavorful they become. Tillamook Cheddars are naturally aged in 40-pound blocks for a minimum of: https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/all?flavor=cheddar&sharpness=medium – 60 days https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/all?flavor=cheddar&sharpness=sharp– 9 months https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/all?flavor=cheddar&sharpness=extra-sharp – 15 months https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/all?flavor=cheddar&sharpness=extra-sharp-white – 2-6 years, depending on the product Though we always recommend eating Tillamook products by the best by date printed on the package, the aging process of Tillamook cheddar cheese continues even after you’ve brought your cheese home. Be sure to keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it.

Cheddar

Cheese

Where to Buy

Cheddar you’ll remember.

Naturally aged, award-winning Tillamook Cheddar. It's cheddar for cheddar lovers, made by cheddar lovers.

Summer Pairings Guide

Medium

Cheddar

Pairings

Your favorite seasonal ingredients. Our bold cheese. Expertly paired. Explore our favorite flavorful combos.

Oregon Strawberry

Strawberries

Extra strawberries double down on the berry flavor for a fresh, juicy burst in every bite.

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Snap Peas

Crisp snap peas bring a garden-fresh crunch that pairs nicely with our medium cheddar.

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Rhubarb PurÉE

The tart and sweet flavors of rhubarb purée add a zingy element to the mellowness of our medium cheddar.

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Baby Cucumbers

Cool, crisp, and sweet, cucumbers offer a refreshing crunch that highlights our Cheddar’s full flavor.

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Radishes

Peppery radishes cut through cheddar’s salty creaminess with a clean, zesty snap.

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English cucumber with soy sauce

This combo lends a salty, umami edge that pairs nicely with the cheese to help coat your palate for flavor that’ll last.

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Honeydew

Honeydew’s mellow sweetness meets cheddar’s savory depth for a surprisingly smooth, summery combo.

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Apple Pie

The warm spice and sweet flavors in apple pie play off cheddar's tang in a savory-sweet twist that's vibrant and unexpected.

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Almost

Ready…

Bring those flavors to life

Now that our exclusive pairing guide is all yours, use it to mix and match your favorite Tillamook products like a pro.

View The Guide

Naturally Aged.

Made with care.

When the people making the cheese love cheese, you can tell. We age our cheddar naturally over time, so you get bold flavor in every bite.

Bold is better.

Cheddar for Cheddar Lovers.

From shreds to slices to snacks, we make cheddar for everyone who loves it almost as much as we do.

The possibilities are delicious.

Unblock your inner chef.

There are no small cheeses. Just small flavors. But in the case of a block of Tillamook Cheddar, there’s no small anything. Take one home and every dish you make will be the star of the meal.

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Hands cutting Tillamook Cheddar Cheese Block

The Sharpness Scale

Any SharperAnd You’d NeedA Permit

Form:

All Form

Flavor:

All Flavor

Sharpness:

All Sharpness

Specialty:

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melty bites to make your day

Tillamook cheddar cheese block zoomed in

Little Boat. Big Story.

Ever wondered what the story is behind the little boat on all our products? It begins with a few farmers who loved dairy so much, they set sail to share it.

Our Story

We promise to put the land, cows, and people first.

As a Certified B Corporation, our promise lives in what we do right — proudly caring for our communities and the environment for over 113 years and counting.

Learn more

Cheddar Cheese

frequently asked questions

How long do you age your cheddar cheeses? What makes them “sharp?"

Tillamook Cheddar Cheeses develop their flavors through the natural process of aging. The longer they age, the “sharper” and more flavorful they become. Tillamook Cheddars are naturally aged in 40-pound blocks for a minimum of: Medium Cheddar – 60 days Sharp Cheddar– 9 months Extra Sharp Cheddar – 15 months Extra Sharp White Cheddar and Maker’s Reserve – 2-6 years, depending on the product

Though we always recommend eating Tillamook products by the best by date printed on the package, the aging process of Tillamook cheddar cheese continues even after you’ve brought your cheese home. Be sure to keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it.

What are the ingredients in your Cheddar Cheese?

The Tillamook Cheddar recipe is based on over 100 years of cheese-making experience. Our Tillamook Cheddar Cheese recipe contains four natural ingredients: cultured milk, enzymes (rennet), salt, and annatto. Annatto is a natural coloring extracted from the seeds of annatto trees grown in the tropics; it is responsible for that beautiful Tillamook Cheddar yellow color! Tillamook white cheddars only contain three ingredients, as they don’t need the annatto.

What makes some of your cheese a yellow color?

The exciting answer: cheesy magic! The less-exciting truth: annatto, a natural, plant-based food coloring extracted from the seeds of tropical annatto trees. Without annatto, cheese is the color of milk. Coloring has been added to cheddar cheese for centuries to regulate color variations in milk that can come from seasonal changes in the cow’s diet. These days, annatto helps ensure that each loaf of Tillamook cheese is the same color that our fans have come to expect. If you prefer a cheese that does not contain annatto, we also produce several white cheddar cheeses, too! Annatto does not affect the flavor of the cheese.