Top 51 North American Hard Cheeses

Baby Swiss is an American cheese originating from Ohio. Made with cow's milk, the cheese has a smooth and open texture, while its flavors are nutty, mild, and sweet. It is called Baby Swiss because it looks like a smaller version of Swiss cheese. On the inside, it has numerous small eyes that are as big as peas. The cheese isn't aged for a long time so the eyes don't have time to become larger. It is recommended to pair Baby Swiss with berries and sweet wines.Expand

Cabot Clothbound is an American type of Cheddar cheese hailing from Vermont, where it's produced as a special batch of Cabot Creamery and Jasper Hill Farm. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's aged for 10-15 months in cellar vaults. After it comes to the cellars, the cheese is coated in lard and wrapped in a cloth. Underneath its natural rind, the texture is flaky and crumbly. The aromas are nutty, while the flavors are savory, tangy, and caramel-like. It's recommended to serve Cabot Clothbound with chestnut honey, cold cuts, or apple jelly. Pair it with hoppy ales or sparkling apple cider. The cheese won many awards, including Best in Show from the American Cheese Society in 2006.Expand

Allegretto is a Canadian cheese produced in La Sarre, Québec. The climate in the Abitibi region results in pastures which have a higher sugar content, and that is the reason for sweeter milk from the sheep. That milk is used to produce this firm cheese with a fresh and clean aroma. The sheep's milk is thermalized, and the cheese is pressed and aged for at least 120 days. Underneath its natural rind, Allegretto hides a creamy texture and nutty, slightly tangy, fruity, mellow, and sweet flavors. It is recommended to grate this cheese over pasta or use it in grilled cheese sandwiches prepared with sourdough bread.Expand

Flory's Truckle is an American variety of cheddar hailing from Iowa. The cheese is made from raw Jersey cow's milk and it's aged wrapped in a cheesecoth. It's left to dry for 10 days, then coated with lard and aged for 12 months. As a result, the texture underneath its natural rind is dry, crumbly, and dense. The aromas are spicy and rich, while the flavors are fruity, grassy, buttery, and nutty, with hints of caramel. The cheese is named after cylinder-shaped truckles in which cheddars get molded. It's recommended to serve Flory's Truckle with plum jam and pair it with a glass of pale ale.Expand

Midnight Moon is a gouda-style cheese that's produced in the Netherlands and sold under the Cypress Grove label in Arcata, California. The cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk and it's left to age from 6 to 12 months before consumption. Underneath its waxed rind, the texture is smooth, dense, grainy, and hard. The aromas are sweet and nutty, while the flavors are buttery, nutty, sweet, and savory with hints of butterscotch and caramel. It's recommended to pair Midnight Moon with a glass of Zinfandel, Syrah, or sherry. The cheese has won many awards, including a gold medal at the World Cheese Awards in 2014.Expand

Tarentaise is an American cheese produced by Spring Brook Farm and Thistle Hill Farm in Vermont. The cheese is made from organic cow's milk of Jersey cows and it ages for 6 months. Underneath its washed rind, the texture of the paste is hard, firm, and smooth. The aromas are nutty and earthy, while the flavors are creamy, buttery, and nutty, with a hint of spiciness on the finish. Due to the fact that Tarentaise contains over 45% of butterfat, it's often melted or used as a table cheese. It's recommended to pair it with Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.Expand

Duroblando is a traditional Hispanic cheese that's found in South American countries such as Mexico and the Caribbean. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's rindless. The texture is firm, hard, and crumbly. The aroma is mild and smokey, while the flavors are smokey, strong, and salty. It's recommended to use Duroblando in pupusas, pasta dishes, enchiladas, quesadillas, salads, and tostadas. Serve it with a glass of cider or fruity beer on the side for the best experience.Expand

Shelburne Cheddar is an American cheese hailing from Vermont, where it's produced by Shelburne Farms. This waxed-rind cheese is made from raw cow's milk and it's typically aged for 6 to 9 months, a year, or two full years. Apart from these versions with different maturation periods, there's also a smoked version of the cheese. The texture is firm and creamy, the aromas rich, and the flavors strong, rich, and milky. When young, the cheese has a subtle fruity note. It's recommended to pair Shelburne Cheddar with a bottle of Grenache, while the aged versions of the cheese go best with strong mustard, sourdough bread, and a bottle of IPA.Expand

Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar is an American cheese hailing from Modesto, California, where it's produced by Fiscalini Cheese Company. The cheese is made from raw cow's milk and it's aged from 18 to 30 months before consumption. Underneath its natural rind, the texture is hard, firm, and crumbly. The aromas are rich, buttery, and slightly smokey, while the flavors are nutty and earthy. Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar has won numerous awards, including gold medals at the World Cheese Awards in 2006, 2007, and 2008. It's recommended to serve the cheese with fresh fruit such as pears and apples. Pair it with wines such as Gamay, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay for the best experience.Expand

Grafton Village Cheddar is an American cheddar cheese hailing from Vermont. There's a large selection of cheddar cheeses made by Grafton Village Cheese Company, and they're made from raw cow's milk. Some cheeses are smoked, some aged, and some are aged in caves, such as Clothbound Cheddar, Maple Smoked Cheddar, Smoked Chili Cheddar, and Cheddars aged from 1 to 4 years. The cheeses have a natural rind, and the texture is generally firm, smooth, crumbly, and flaky. The aromas are sweet and smokey, while the flavors range from buttery and creamy to savory and sharp. Interestingly, these cheddars date back to 1892, when local farmers used to deliver milk to the creamery. Expand

Spring Brook Farm Cheese is located in Reading, Vermont, where they produce artisanal cheeses. The cheeses produced by Spring Brook Farm are made using traditional techniques and include varieties such as Tarentaise, an alpine-style cheese. The farm also operates as an educational facility, teaching students about sustainable agriculture through its partnership with the Farms for City Kids Foundation.Expand

Fromagerie du Presbytère is an artisanal cheese producer located in Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, in the province of Québec, Canada, founded in 2005 in a restored former presbytery. It was established as a family project by the Morin family, who also operate their own dairy farm, ensuring full control over the quality and origin of the milk used in production. The creamery is known for its wide range of cheeses, spanning soft, blue, semi-hard, and long-aged styles, including well-known creations such as Louis d’Or, Bleu d’Élizabeth, Le Religieuse, Le Champayeur, and Treizième Apôtre. Production combines traditional cheesemaking techniques with modern expertise, with a strong focus on expressing local terroir and the character of the farm’s milk. Many of their cheeses have received national and international awards, contributing to the reputation of Fromagerie du Presbytère as one of Canada’s most respected artisanal cheesemakers. Today, the dairy stands as a model of how family heritage, innovation, and regional identity can come together to create cheeses with strong personality and consistent quality.Expand

The Farm at Doe Run is an award-winning creamery located in Coatesville, Chester County, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2008 by Richard Hayne, the founder of Urban Outfitters, with the goal of creating a local farm that produces high-quality cheeses and provides jobs for the community. Today, the farm is run by a team of experienced cheesemakers, including Olivia Haver, a former member of the Jasper Hill team, who, together with colleagues from Vermont, has taken the lead in cheese production and affinage. The farm exclusively raises grass-fed Jersey and Normande cows, East Friesian sheep, and Saanen and Nubian goats. This biodiversity allows for the production of a wide range of cheeses, from soft and creamy to aged and textured. All cheeses are handcrafted using the farmstead method, meaning that only milk from the farm is used, without any ingredients sourced externally.Expand

V&V Supremo Foods is a cheese producer based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1964. The company specializes in Mexican-style dairy products, including a variety of cheeses, sour creams, and chorizo. V&V Supremo Foods services both retail and foodservice customers.Expand

Jasper Hill Farm is a farmstead cheese producer based in Greensboro, founded in 2003 with a clear mission to strengthen the rural economy of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom through high-quality cheesemaking. The operation is built around milk from its own farm, with a strong emphasis on consistency, milk quality and expressing a sense of place through different cheese styles. A central pillar of the business is The Cellars at Jasper Hill, a purpose-built underground aging facility designed to provide precise control over humidity, temperature and microbial development during affinage. These cellars are used not only for Jasper Hill’s own cheeses but also to support other small regional producers by offering professional aging, storage and distribution services. This collaborative model has positioned Jasper Hill as both a producer and an infrastructure backbone for the local artisan cheese community. Their portfolio spans multiple styles, from blue and soft-ripened cheeses to alpine-inspired varieties, many of which have received international recognition. Jasper Hill Farm is widely regarded as one of the most influential producers in American artisanal cheesemaking, known for combining technical rigor with a strong commitment to regional sustainability.Expand

Glengarry Cheesemaking, based in Lancaster, Ontario, specializes in producing fine artisanal cheeses. The company, which has obtained several awards, offers a range of products including the famous Lankaaster cheese - a gouda-style cheese aged to different maturity levels. They provide cheesemaking supplies and host educational workshops on cheese production.Expand

Beehive Cheese Company is a family-owned artisan cheese maker based in Uintah, USA. Since its founding in 2005 by the Ford and Welsh families, Beehive Cheese has been dedicated to crafting high-quality, handcrafted cheeses. The company has quickly established a reputation for innovation, winning over 130 major awards for its cheeses. Beehive Cheese is renowned for producing unique and flavorful cheeses, including signature rubbed-rind varieties, such as Seahive, a cheese made with local honey and sea salt. The company is committed to sustainability and is certified as a B Corporation, meaning they meet high standards of social and environmental performance. Beehive Cheese also values community engagement and maintains strong ties to its local area. With a passion for quality, sustainability, and creative flavors, Beehive Cheese offers cheese enthusiasts a truly exceptional experience.Expand

Cello, under Lake Country Dairy, specializes in producing artisan cheeses in Wisconsin, utilizing traditional methods with advanced technology. Their products include a variety of Italian-style cheeses such as Parmesan, Romano, and Mascarpone. They emphasize sustainable practices in their cheese production processes.Expand

Cherry Grove Farm is located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and specializes in producing artisanal cheeses, focusing on sustainable farming practices. The farm operates on a pasture-based system, emphasizing environmental stewardship and the natural feeding habits of their livestock. They produce a variety of cheeses from the milk of their own grass-fed cows. Cherry Grove Farm also offers educational tours and cheese-making classes to the public.Expand

Familia del Norte is an artisan cheese producer based in Ferndale, Washington, USA. It was founded by Nidia Hernandez, a first-generation Mexican-American with strong ties to Whatcom and Yakima counties. With over eight years of experience in cheese-making, Nidia decided to share the richness of Latin American tradition through the Familia del Norte line of cheeses. These cheeses reflect a commitment to authenticity, quality, and a passion for Latin American culinary heritage. They are ideal for use in Mexican dishes such as tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and nachos, but also pair wonderfully with fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, and bread.Expand