This smoked cream cheese is an easy appetizer with just three ingredients. The creamy cheese is warm and gooey and full of smokey flavor. It's perfect for your next barbecue or game day spread, and it's always a crowd pleaser.
Why this Recipe Works
If you're looking for an easy appetizer for your next barbecue, look no further! Smoked cream cheese is a perfect appetizer when you're smoking meats like pulled pork or spare ribs. It only requires three ingredients and minimal effort to prep. So it's super easy to toss on the grill when you're cooking other dishes.
The cream cheese absorbs the smoky flavors and gets warm and gooey. Just serve it with crackers and some jelly or other toppings for a delicious, easy appetizer everyone will rave about!
Ingredient Notes
- Cream Cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- Seasoning - I keep it simple with a simple seasoning of Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. But you can season it with lots of other seasonings as well. I've got some other recommendations further down in the post!
- Pepper Jelly (optional) - I love to serve this smoked cream cheese with pepper jelly. The sweet and spicy flavors are awesome with the smoky, creamy cheese.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep - Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Place the cold cream cheese on a small baking sheet lined with foil. Score the cheese with a wet knife to make a cross-hatch pattern. If the knife begins to stick, dip it in water.
- Season - Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the cheese.
- Smoke the Cheese - Transfer the cheese to your smoker and cook for around 2 hours until it is golden brown and warmed through. When it is warmed through, the cheese will begin to separate where it was scored.
- Serve and Enjoy! - Remove the cheese and serve it warm, or refrigerate it in an airtight container for later.
Expert Tips
- A light coating of cooking spray or olive oil on the foil helps to keep the cheese from sticking.
- A toaster oven baking sheet is the perfect size for this recipe.
- Don't skip the step of scoring the cheese. It helps the smoke penetrate deeper into the cheese for more flavor.
- Have a small cup of water handy when scoring the cheese. If the knife sticks, dip it in the water before making the cuts.
- Making smoked cream cheese on a pellet grill or electric smoker is easiest because you can set the temperature and forget it. But any type of smoker will work. You'll just need to ensure you keep an eye on the temperature. I recommend keeping it under 250°F, as it can melt too much at higher temperatures.
How to Serve Smoked Cream Cheese
I love to serve this smoked cream cheese right off the smoker when it's warm and gooey. But you can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate it, then serve it cold or reheat it in a warm oven.
To keep it simple, I like to serve this smoked cream cheese with crackers and some hot pepper jelly to spread on top. The sweet and spicy jelly is a perfect complement to the smoky cream cheese.
You can use other jelly or jam flavors to suit your taste. Honey or spicy hot honey are also great options.
Of course, just about anything is tasty with a spread of this delicious creamy cheese!
Smoke Cream Cheese Variations
You can use almost any seasoning on this smoked cream cheese to customize the flavor. Savory and sweet options are both delicious. Here are a few of my favorites:
- BBQ Rub - Use my homemade BBQ rub recipe or your favorite rub to add a sweet and spicy kick.
- Everything Bagel - This flavorful combination of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt adds a ton of savory flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar - For a sweet option, mix 1 Tablespoon of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over the cheese. You can also try other spices like ground cloves or pumpkin spice. Sweet versions are awesome with graham crackers.
Storage and Reheating
Store the smoked cream cheese in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a 225°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any temperature between 200-250°F will work for smoking cream cheese. At higher temperatures, the cheese will warm more quickly and begin to melt before absorbing enough smoke.
I recommend smoking the cream cheese for around 2 hours for the best flavor. 30 minutes on either side of that is totally fine.
More Appetizer Recipes
📖 Recipe
Smoked Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, one block
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Place the cold cream cheese on a small baking sheet lined with foil. Score the cheese with a wet knife to make a cross-hatch pattern. If the knife begins to stick, dip it in water.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the cheese.
- Transfer the cheese to your smoker and cook for around 2 hours until golden brown and warmed through. When warmed through, the cheese will begin to separate where it was scored.
- Carefully remove the cheese and transfer it to a cutting board or plate. Serve warm, or refrigerate it in an airtight container for later.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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