This Smoked Cream Cheese recipe is easy, delicious, and the perfect smoked appetizer. It is a balance of sweet and spicy using brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Serve it up hot or cold and with your favorite dippers.
My version of Smoked Cream Cheese is made using a Pit Boss vertical smoker. It is a balance of smoky fattiness, spicy, and sweet. There are a lot of different variations both sweet and savory, I recommend a few below.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It uses simple ingredients: cream cheese, olive oil, brown sugar, and spices found it every pantry.
- It is a set it and forget it kind of recipe, meaning you don’t have to babysit it for hours while it smokes.
- This recipe can be made ahead of time, up to four days, and stored in the refrigerator. This makes it an awesome appetizer for holidays and parties.
- Everyone goes CRAZY over it. I kid you not it is the first appetizer gone everytime I serve it or take it to a party with me.
Ingredients for Smoked Cream Cheese
- Full Fat Cream Cheese
- Olive Oil
Sweet and Spicy Dry Rub:
- Brown Sugar
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt
How To Make Smoked Cream Cheese
- Set your smoker to 200° F
- Score your cream cheese in a cross-hatch pattern.
- Brush the cream cheese with olive oil.
- Sprinkle on the Sweet and Spicy Dry Rub
- Smoke for 2 hours.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!
What Can I Serve With It?
The possibilities are endless with this recipe. I tend to grab whatever I have in the pantry or what is on sale at the grocery store.
- traditional butter crackers (what I use)
- bagel chips
- tortilla chips
- toasted baguette slices
- raw vegetables
- slices of sausage or other meats
Or spread it on:
- bagels
- sandwiches
- wraps
Other Variations and Toppings to Try
Ranch- Coat the cream cheese in olive oil and then a 1 ounce packet of Ranch Seasoning. After it is done smoking top with some dried dill and serve with fresh veggies.
Apple Pie- Coat the cream cheese in olive oil and then 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. Top with a can of premade apple pie filling and smoke. Serve with Nilla wafers or graham crackers.
Taco- Coat the cream cheese in olive oil and then a packet of Taco Seasoning. Once it has finished smoking pour salsa over the top with fresh cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.
Hot Honey Smoked Cream Cheese- Make this recipe as specified below but top it with Hot Honey Sauce. Serve it with tortilla chips.
More toppings to make it your own-
- Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
- Chipotle Southwest Sauce
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Maple Syrup
- Hot Pepper Jelly
- Caramel
- I also love this Black Grape Chutney. It is thick and jammie with a sweet rosemary profile. SO GOOD!
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoked Cream Cheese
I advise against it because the water content is higher in those types of cream cheese and it can become an odd texture when smoked. Stick to full fat cream cheese with this recipe.
I like it both ways so it is up to you! Most of the time I will make it a day ahead of time, allow it to chill (the smoke really sets in), and then serve it cold. If you are wanting to dive right in and eat it hot, go ahead.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can use an airtight container or wrap the whole thing in saran wrap. I do not recommend freezing Smoked Cream Cheese because once it is thawed you have a funny and somewhat off putting texture.
More Appetizer Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Lemon Orzo Salad
- Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Ricotta Dip with Roasted Grapes
- Fried Dill Pickle Dip
- Buffalo Crab Dip
- Garlic Butter Parmesan Wings
- Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders
More Smoker Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Smoked Hot Dogs
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Smoked Pork Butt
- Smoked Queso Dip
- Smoked Cheez Its
- Smoked Peach Cobbler
- Smoked Whiskey Sour Mocktail
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Smoked Cream Cheese
Equipment
- Smoker; I use a Pit Boss vertical smoker
Ingredients
- 1 block cream cheese; full fat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sweet and Spicy Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley; for garnish
Instructions
- Set smoker to 200° F. We used a mixture of Apple and Competition Blend pellets by Pit Boss.
- Place the cream cheese in a heat safe dish.
- Score the cream cheese multiple times to allow the olive oil, seasoning, and smoke to penetrate it.
- Brush the sides and top with olive oil.
- Coat the sides and top of the cream cheese with the Sweet and Spicy Dry Rub (brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes and salt).
- Place in smoker to cook/smoke for two hours.
- Remove from smoker, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with crackers.
Video
Notes
- In the refrigerator, in an airtight container or wrapped in saran wrap, for up to one week.
- I do not recommend freezing Smoked Cream Cheese.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
If you make my Smoked Cream Cheese, don’t forget to leave this recipe a rating, comment, or like. Tag me on social media using the hashtag #EntirelyElizabeth when sharing your own personal photos making this recipe. I would love to see your version and know your thoughts!
oh lawdy this was good!!
I am now obsessed! I love all things smoked but never thought about smoking my own cheese! Smoked cream cheese=YUM!
The kids all loved it too and we can’t wait to try the apple pie stopping that you suggest.
Thank you for a great recipe, subscribing so I don’t miss any more smoked recipes 🙂
Wow! So delicious, took to a party recently . . . and I now have a bunch of new friends who want the recipe!
I recently tried this smoked cream cheese recipe, and it exceeded my expectations in every way. The combination of ingredients creates a harmonious blend of flavors that perfectly balance sweetness and spice. Would definitely make this over and over again!
Hey, I tried your smoked cream cheese and it was awesome. I’m not a big fan of cream cheese but this was so good!
This made for a spectacularly delicious appetizer! I’ve never smoked cream cheese before but this came out perfectly and was a real hit with guests.