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Smoked cream cheese is the appetizer you didnโt know you were missing in your life! Loaded with flavor, smoked cream cheese is soft, perfectly smoky, and absolutely delicious topped with your favorite preserves, like pepper jelly! It takes only minutes to prep and is endlessly customizable. Donโt stop at appetizers, though; use smoked cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese for all your favorite savory dishes for extra depth of smoky flavor.
Notes from Cheryl
- This recipe works best with full-fat cream cheese. Fat-free and reduced fat versions won’t give you the consistency we’re looking for!
How to Make This Recipe
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Prep the Cream Cheese
Place the cold block of full-fat cream cheese on a foil-lined pan and score the top of the block with a sharp knife, creating a criss-cross pattern. Don’t cut too deeply, though – you don’t want to go all the way through the cheese! I recommend just ยฝ-inch deep or so, enough to allow the smoke and seasonings to permeate.
Cheryl’s Tip: If you have trouble cutting through the cream cheese easily and cleanly, run the blade of your knife under hot water for a few seconds. Dry it off, then slice the cream cheese while the blade’s still warm. Wipe the blade off and rewarm it as needed.
season the Cream Cheese
Brush a little olive oil or avocado oil on the top and sides of the scored cream cheese, then sprinkle your seasonings of choice evenly over the top. You can use as much or as little seasoning as you like. Remember, cream cheese is super rich and tangy, so you may prefer more seasoning than you realize.
Smoke the Cream Cheese
2 hours, 200ยฐ Fahrenheit. Leave the lid closed the entire time if you can, or as long as possible if you can’t. After 2 hours, the cream cheese should be ridiculously soft and creamy.
Serve the Cream Cheese
Top the smoked cream cheese with your toppings of choice (see below for recommendations!). If your toppings are cold, I recommend warming them in the microwave or on the stovetop first, but at the very least bring them to room temperature. Serve immediately with crackers, chips, pita bread, or fresh veggies.
Recipe Variations
- Seasoning Options: Ohhh, the options here are ENDLESS! BBQ dry rub, brown sugar & cinnamon, Everything But the Bagel seasoning, ranch seasoning, cajun seasoning, Old Bay, a mixture of dried herbs and spices, or go simple with just flake salt. Just make sure you choose something that’ll work with the toppings you plan to use!
- Try Different Toppings: If you love jams and jellies, you’re going to lose your mind over this recipe. Smoked cream cheese is the perfect canvas for a number of toppings. Hot honey, red pepper jelly, jalapeรฑo or serrano pepper jelly, bacon jam, cranberry & orange jam, blueberry compote, peach-mango salsa, even pie filling if you want a dessert option.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Smoked Cream Cheese
Equipment
- smoker
- small baking sheet or cast-iron skillet
- Aluminum Foil
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
For the Smoked Cream Cheese
- 1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon high-quality olive oil
- 1-3 teaspoons seasoning of choice
- 1 big pinch flake salt if seasoning does not contain salt
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- red pepper jelly
- bacon jam
- fruit preserves
- chimichurri store-bought or make your own
- crackers or chips
- crostini
Instructions
- Preheat smoker, with lid closed, to 200ยฐ Fahrenheit. While smoker preheats, line small baking sheet or cast iron skillet with aluminum foil.
- Place 1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese on foil and carefully slice shallow crosshatches into top of cream cheese block, being careful not to cut through block completely.
- Brush 1 teaspoon high-quality olive oil evenly over top of cream cheese block. Sprinkle 1-3 teaspoons seasoning of choice and 1 big pinch flake salt over olive oil.
- When smoker has preheated, place pan (or skillet) directly on smoker grates. Close lid and smoke cream cheese 2 hours, undisturbed. While cream cheese smokes, bring toppings of choice to room temperature.
- After 2 hours, remove cream cheese from smoker. Carefully remove foil from pan (or skillet) and transfer to serving board or plate.
- Top cream cheese with toppings of choice. Serve immediately with crackers or crostini.
- Storage:ย Let the smoked cream cheese cool completely. Refrigerate it in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven on a low temp until warmed through.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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How to Serve Smoked Cream Cheese
My favorite way to serve smoked cream cheese is right off the smoker with crisp buttery crackers or chips. The crunch plays off the melty creaminess of the cheese beautifully. You could also use slices of bell peppers or raw broccoli florets. It’s a perfect appetizer for parties and cookouts because it’s so versatile – great for feeding a variety of people. If you’re keto, try it with pork rinds!
You can also use smoked cream cheese in just about any recipe that calls for plain cream cheese. It adds a depth and richness that you wouldn’t ordinarily get otherwise. Of course, I wouldn’t use it in any desserts or sweet recipes! If seasoned right, though, this cream cheese can be a wonderful dessert on its own. At Christmas, I love it seasoned with brown sugar and cinnamon, topped with honey or cranberry jam, and served with graham crackers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! It gets irresistibly soft and creamy, but it won’t melt or liquify.
It’s great both ways, but I love it most right off the smoker, when it’s creamy and warm.
I really love the subtle, smoky flavor that hickory gives the cream cheese, but pecan, applewood, and maple would all work nicely, too.
2 hours at 200ยฐ Fahrenheit. You can go up to 225ยฐ Fahrenheit if you want, but you may need to reduce the cook time.
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Whatโs your favorite and familyโs favorite seasoning mix to put on the cream cheese. If I donโt have a smoke could I just put wood chips in foil inside my Weber grill. Would that work? What flavor wood chips do you recommend?
Hickory, pecan, applewood, and maple chips would all work well – it just depends on the seasonings and toppings you want to use. And yes, you can use soaked wood chips in an aluminum pan inside the grill!