The best substitute for Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread is a blend of 4 ounces of softened Philadelphia cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese, which is the official replacement recipe that Kraft Kitchens published when the product became hard to find.
The first time I went to make my mom’s holiday cheese ball and couldn’t find Roka Blue anywhere on the shelf, I genuinely panicked. That little glass jar with the blue lid had been in our holiday spread for as long as I could remember, and suddenly it was just gone.
If you are in that same spot, the good news is that Kraft actually published an official copycat recipe before you could even ask for one, and it is simpler than you might think. I have put together everything you need to know about what Roka Blue actually was, how to recreate it, and the best store-bought alternatives when you want a shortcut.
Key Takeaways
- A bleu cheese dressing blended into cream cheese works as a fast version of the copycat for dips and cheese balls
- The official Kraft copycat is 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese plus 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, mixed until smooth; half a batch equals one 5-oz jar
- Roka Blue is not permanently gone; Kraft brings it back as a seasonal fall product, so check stores around October and November
- Gorgonzola Dolce is the best blue cheese for the copycat recipe since it has the same mild, creamy, spreadable character as Roka Blue
- The classic Roka Blue Cheese Ball only needs three ingredients beyond the spread itself: cream cheese, garlic powder, and pecans
- Boursin, Alouette, and whipped feta are not good substitutes since they are herb-flavored, not blue cheese
Table of Contents
What Is Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread?
Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread was a mild, creamy processed blue cheese spread sold in a small 5-ounce glass jar with a blue lid, typically found on the shelf near Velveeta and processed cheese products rather than in the refrigerated section. It was made from Philadelphia cream cheese blended with blue cheese, giving it a mild, tangy, spreadable consistency that was much less intense than eating straight blue cheese.
The flavor was exactly what made it so popular for party food. It added real blue cheese character without overwhelming people who do not love a bold blue. It was the secret weapon in holiday cheese balls, cracker spreads, and dips for decades.
Kraft discontinued it from year-round shelves but has confirmed it comes back as a seasonal item around October through November. Stores like Kroger, Walmart, and Safeway carry it intermittently. If you cannot find it, that is what this guide is for.
Is Roka Blue Cheese Spread the Same as Kraft Old English?
No. Kraft Old English is a sharp cheddar cheese spread with a completely different flavor. Roka Blue is a blue cheese spread.
Both are processed Kraft spreads that often appear together in the classic three-cheese ball recipe, but they are not substitutable for each other.
The Official Kraft Copycat Recipe
When Roka Blue became hard to find, Kraft Kitchens published an official substitute recipe on their website. This is the exact formula, verified against multiple archived sources:
One full batch (equals two 5-oz jars of Roka Blue):
- 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, softened
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- Up to 1/3 cup water, added 1 tablespoon at a time for a thinner consistency
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar for extra tang
Mix the cream cheese and blue cheese by hand until well blended. Add water gradually only if you need the spread thinner for a dip. The half-batch (4 oz cream cheese plus 2 tablespoons blue cheese) equals one 5-oz jar exactly.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8oz is the base for this recipe. BelGioioso Blue Crumbles 5oz is the easiest way to get the crumbled blue cheese component, confirmed in stock on Amazon and the right mild, crumbly style for this blend.
Which Blue Cheese Works Best in the Copycat?
The choice of blue cheese changes the final flavor significantly. Roka Blue’s defining character was mildness: it tasted like blue cheese but never punched too hard.
For the closest match to Roka Blue: Use Gorgonzola Dolce DOP 3.5lb, which is soft, creamy, and mild with a gentle sweetness. It folds into cream cheese more smoothly than any crumbled blue and produces a spread that is genuinely close to the original texture.
For the standard grocery run: BelGioioso blue crumbles or any mild crumbled blue from your supermarket cheese section. Athenos Crumbled Blue Cheese (Kraft’s named brand in the recipe) is available at Kroger, Target, and Safeway for around $4-5.
For a stronger punch: Use Roquefort or Stilton but cut the amount by half. These are significantly more assertive than Roka Blue was, so a little goes a long way.
The Classic Roka Blue Cheese Ball
This is the recipe that drove most of the searching. Kraft’s official “Classic ROKA Cheese Ball” still exists on their Philadelphia website and requires just a few ingredients:
Classic ROKA Cheese Ball:
- 1 pkg (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 jar (5 oz) Kraft Roka Blue Spread (or one half-batch of the copycat above)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- Crackers for serving
Mix the cream cheese, Roka Blue (or copycat), and garlic powder until well blended. Refrigerate 2 hours.
Shape into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Serve with crackers.
RITZ Original Crackers 13.7oz are the traditional pairing. They have the right buttery, slightly salty flavor that balances the blue cheese without competing with it.
The Three-Cheese Ball Version
Many families made a retro version that used three Kraft spreads together: cream cheese, Kraft Old English (cheddar), and Roka Blue. This is sometimes called the “Old School Cheese Ball” and it is genuinely excellent.
The formula is two 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, one jar of Old English spread, one jar of Roka Blue (or the copycat), a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, shaped and rolled in chopped walnuts or pecans. Old English is still widely available at grocery stores and has not been discontinued.
Best Store-Bought Substitutes for Roka Blue
When you want a ready-made option instead of the DIY route, here is what actually works versus what misses the point entirely.
What Actually Works
Mild blue cheese crumbled into softened cream cheese is always the most accurate option. It takes five minutes and uses ingredients at every grocery store.
Bleu d’Auvergne is a mild French blue that blends very smoothly into cream cheese or can be used as a direct spread. Bleu d’Auvergne AOC 1lb ships overnight from Amazon and is one of the most consistently stocked French blues on the platform. It is grassy and peppery with a mildness that reads close to Roka.
Chunky bleu cheese salad dressing stirred into cream cheese works for dips and cheese balls when you want zero extra shopping. Start with a tablespoon, mix it in, and taste. It loosens the mixture, so account for that in recipes that need the cheese to hold a shape.
Pine River Chunky Bleu Cheese Spread is a Wisconsin cold-pack spread that is the closest commercial product to what Roka Blue was. It is sold through pineriverdairy.com and Wisconsin Cheese Mart. It is not on Amazon but it ships nationally and the flavor is genuinely close.
What Does Not Work
Boursin Garlic and Herb, Alouette Herb Cheese Spread, whipped feta, and most Pub Cheese (which is cheddar-based) are the wrong flavor family entirely. They share Roka’s creamy, spreadable texture but have no blue cheese character at all.
Using any of them in the cheese ball recipe will produce a dish that tastes nothing like the original. For a detailed look at blue cheese alternatives more broadly, the Stilton cheese substitutes guide covers the full blue cheese family.
Where to Buy Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread Now
Check stores in October and November when Kraft typically brings it back as a seasonal product. Look for it near Velveeta and the shelf-stable cheese spreads, not in the refrigerated section.
Online, Kroger, Walmart, and Safeway all list the 5-oz jar in their product databases even when stock is regional. Calling your local store before making a special trip saves a lot of frustration. Amazon listings for Roka Blue exist but go in and out of stock depending on the season.
Storing Your Homemade Copycat
The cream cheese and blue cheese blend keeps well covered in the fridge for up to two weeks. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent the top from drying out.
For the cheese ball, Formaticum cheese storage bags keep it fresh far longer than plastic wrap or a zip bag. The breathable paper maintains the right humidity without trapping off-flavors. Shape the ball, wrap it in Formaticum paper, and it keeps its shape and flavor perfectly until you are ready to coat it and serve.
FAQs
What is Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread?
Roka Blue was a mild, creamy blue cheese spread made by Kraft, sold in a 5-oz glass jar. It combined Philadelphia cream cheese with blue cheese for a spreadable, mildly tangy product. Kraft brought it back as a seasonal fall item after discontinuing it from year-round shelves.
Is Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread discontinued?
Not permanently. Kraft confirmed it returns as a seasonal product, typically appearing in stores around October and November. It is harder to find during the rest of the year, which is why so many people are looking for substitutes and copycat recipes.
What is the best substitute for Roka Blue Cheese Spread?
The official Kraft copycat is the most accurate: mix 4 oz of softened Philadelphia cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese until smooth. Use half a batch to equal one 5-oz jar. Gorgonzola Dolce blends most smoothly and gets closest to Roka’s mild, creamy character.
How do I make the Roka Blue Cheese Ball without Roka Blue?
Use the copycat (4 oz cream cheese plus 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese) in place of the 5-oz jar. Mix it with another 4 oz of cream cheese, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, refrigerate two hours, shape into a ball, and roll in chopped pecans. Serve with Ritz crackers.
What does Roka Blue Cheese Spread taste like?
Roka Blue tasted mild, creamy, and lightly tangy with a gentle blue cheese character that was much less assertive than straight blue cheese. It was specifically designed to introduce blue cheese flavor to people who might find a sharp blue overwhelming, which is why it worked so well in party dips and cheese balls.
Cynthia Odenu-Odenu is the founder of Cyanne Eats. A registered nurse with a passion for food, she brings the same attention to detail from her professional life into the kitchen. From chain restaurant rankings to grocery finds and easy recipes, Cynthia covers it all and helps everyday food lovers eat better and spend smarter.