White Cheddar vs Yellow Cheddar: What's the Difference?

Whether you’re using white or yellow, cheddar is a semi-hard cheese that’s made from cow’s milk. It originates from England, has a slightly crumbly texture, and can have a sharp flavor depending on how long it has been left to age.

The only thing that truly separates white cheddar from yellow cheddar is the coloring. White cheddar is simply cheddar cheese in its natural state with an off-white or buttery coloring. Yellow cheddar has a golden color due to the addition of annatto, a natural food dye that comes from the seeds of the achiote tree.

According to this article from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, cheddar made in the New England area of the United States is often kept white in color. Yellow cheddar, on the other hand, is more popularly produced and sold in the Midwest. Depending on where you live, you may be more familiar with one or the other. But what separates them remains the same: Only the color.

It’s thought that the original production of cheddar was white, with the yellow coloring being a later addition to the production process. As the production process was enhanced over time, techniques were developed for controlling the temperature and acidity of the milk to produce consistent and high-quality cheese. Soon after, cheddar cheese was exported to other countries.

Because of the difference in color between white and yellow cheddar, many assume these cheeses will taste different from each other. While annatto is added to yellow cheddar to give it its coloring, it doesn’t affect the overall flavor. White and yellow cheddar, aged the same, should taste identical.

The biggest difference in flavors of cheddar (whether white or yellow) is the aging process. As mentioned, aged cheddar tends to be drier and has more of a sharpness to it, while young cheddar is milder and not as crumbly. Both aged yellow cheddar and aged white cheddar should taste the same if they have the same aging time.

Whether you’re a fan of the traditional yellow cheddar or prefer the more natural white cheddar, both types of cheese are made using the same production process. The only difference between the two is the addition of annatto to yellow cheddar, giving it its distinctive hue.