Easy Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe - Career Girl Meets... (2024)

By Danielle Nieman

Smoked Cream Cheese is one of the BEST and easiest party appetizers you’ll ever serve! And you only need TWO ingredients.

This post is all about how to make this Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe.

This Smoked Cream Cheese dip is the party food you’ll want to serve for any occasion because it’s DELICIOUS, easy to make, and cost-effective. This appetizer is insanely addicting, and friends and family will wonder how you pulled it off because of its impressive presentation.

This soft cheese recipe only calls for two simple ingredients: a brick of cream cheese and your favorite barbecue rub. You can also use taco or any flavored seasoning, like ranch dressing mix or dry onion soup mix.

Different cooking options are also available since not everyone has access to a barbecue or smoker. I cooked mine in the oven, and it turned out perfect, minus the smokey flavor.

First gaining fame on TikTok, this creamy appetizer went viral almost instantly. While the video clip shows the brick of cream cheese cooking in a smoker to add a smoked flavor, the oven option still delivers tasty goodness. How you cook this easy party app depends on your preference and what’s available to you!

Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe

What Is The Best Seasoning For Smoked Cream Cheese?

There is no right or wrong answer here! The best seasoning for this appetizer all depends on what you LOVE. If you don’t have a favorite dry rub, ranch seasoning or an onion soup mix is quite popular for this cream cheese dip.

The Two Ingredients You’ll Need:

• One 8-ounce (full-fat) Brick Of Cream Cheese

• 2 – 3 Tablespoons Of Any Seasoning. Examples: Traeger BBQ Rub, Taco, Ranch, or Dry Onion Soup Mix (Use whatever seasoning you want!)

Optional Topping Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I drizzled olive oil on the baked cheese brick. It compliments the creamy cheese and seasonings.

• Honey – You can also drizzle hot honey over the baked cream cheese.

• Fresh Chives Or Fresh Green Onions, chopped – I sprinkled fresh chives on top of my warm cheese brick.

• Everything Bagel Sesame Seasoning – Sprinkle this sesame seasoning on top of the smoked cheese for more flavor. I haven’t tried this yet, but people were raving about it with this appetizer!

Serve Smoked Cream Cheese With These Ingredients:

• Crackers

• Any Chips Or Pita Chips

• Chopped Vegetables (like a vegetable tray)

• Red Pepper Jelly (I added a dollop of this on the side to add some sweetness and spice.)

Equipment Needed:

• Baking Pan (8 x 8) or use a Disposable Baking Pan

• Nonstick Cooking Spray

• Aluminum Foil

• Sharp Knife

• Oven, Barbecue Grill, or Smoker (Pick one)

What’s The Difference Between Barbecue, Grilling, And Smoking?

Barbecue is any food cooked outside with flames or smoke. Grilling and smoking are two forms of barbecue.

• Grilling – is cooking food over high temperatures. You would not want to grill this cream cheese appetizer because it would melt and burn. Instead, cook the soft cheese slowly over the barbecue grill at about 200 degrees F and not exceeding 225 degrees F.

• Smoking – cooks food over low temperatures with the heat and smoke from burning wood. The wood flavor enhances the food’s taste, which is why some like to smoke their cream cheese instead of baking it in the oven or on a barbecue grill. Traeger is known for making some of the world’s best pellet smokers.

How To Make This Best Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe, Step-By-Step

Step 1: Place a brick of cream cheese in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will make the cheese less sticky to handle and, therefore, easier to season.

Step 2: Decide now if you’re cooking the cheese in the oven, on a smoker, or on a barbecue grill. If using an oven, preheat it to 225 degrees F. Heat the smoker or barbecue grill to 200 degrees F.

Step 3: Line a pan or disposable pan with foil and spray nonstick cooking spray or grease the bottom with olive oil.

Step 4: Unwrap the cream cheese block from the packaging and place it on the pan. Make crisis-cross patterns on top of the cream cheese with a sharp knife.

Step 5: Coat the cream cheese with your favorite seasoning on all sides. Optional Tip: If you want the seasoning to stick easily, brush olive oil over the cream cheese brick before adding the seasoning.

Step 6: Place the pan containing your seasoned cream cheese brick in the oven, smoker, or barbecue grill. See various cook times and temperatures below.

Oven Method:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F and bake the cheese for ONE hour.

Smoker Method:

Heat the smoker to 200 degrees F and smoke the cheese for TWO hours.

Barbecue Grill Method:

Light one side of the barbecue grill and heat to 200 degrees F. Place the cream cheese pan over the unlit grill for TWO hours. Be sure to check on it at least every 30 minutes.

Step 7: Serve the smoked cream cheese immediately! Drizzle the top with olive oil or hot honey (if you wish), and add optional fresh chopped chives or green onions.

Tip: I cut the excess foil off around the smoked cream cheese before transferring it with a spatula to the desired serving tray. The cheese brick will fall apart if you try to move it without the foil underneath. Remember, this cheese appetizer is soft and delicate.

Smoked Cream Cheese Variations

Add Crumbled Bacon:

You can add bacon to the top of the smoked cheese right before serving it for extra flavor.

Smoked Cream Cheese Apple Dip:

Coat the cream cheese brick generously with a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Serve it with fresh apple slices and vanilla wafers.

Dorito Smoked Cream Cheese:

Brush the cream cheese brick with olive oil and season with your favorite barbecue rub. Next, crush Doritos and coat the brick generously before smoking or baking. Serve the smoked dip with more Doritos.

Smoked Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip:

Use a spicy barbecue rub to coat the cream cheese brick. Next, add jalapenos to the cheese and then smoke or bake it. Serve the spicy dip with bacon crumbles and drizzle with olive oil.

Pit Boss Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe:

Use a Pit Boss Smoker to smoke the cream cheese for this variation.

Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese:

Use a Traeger Smoker for this cream cheese version. Barbecue connoisseurs are picky about their smokers and have strong opinions.

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Recipe:

Brush olive oil on the cream cheese brick and coat it with a spicy rub. Next, cover the brick with Everything Bagel Seasoning before smoking or baking. Top the smoked cream cheese with slivers of smoked salmon, capers, and fresh chopped green onions or chives.

FAQs And Tips For This Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe

How Many Smoked Cream Cheese Flavors Are There?

Too many because you can use any rub or seasoning you love. This recipe has no rules, so get creative with your taste buds!

Should I Serve This Soft Cheese Appetizer Hot Or Cold?

It tastes great both ways!

Do I Have To Use A Traeger Smoker For This Recipe?

While Traeger is a well-known smoker brand, you can use any smoker.

How Can I Make A Smoked Cream Cheese Dessert?

You can make apple pie smoked cream cheese by coating the brick with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before smoking or baking the cheese. Add warm apple pie filling to the smoked soft cheese and serve with vanilla wafers.

How Long Does Smoked Cream Cheese Last?

You can store smoked cream cheese in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Be sure to keep the cheese in an airtight container.

Can You Smoke Cream Cheese At 275?

Experts recommend smoking the cheese at about 200 degrees F and not exceeding 225 degrees F.

What Crackers Go With Smoked Cheese?

Any cracker goes with this smoked cream cheese recipe! However, some prefer Ritz crackers because of their crisp and buttery taste.

How Long Should I Smoke This Cheese Dip?

You should smoke the cheese LONG and SLOW over TWO HOURS.

How To Serve Smoked Cream Cheese?

You can serve this soft cheese dip with crackers, chips, baguettes, crostini, and as a sandwich spread, on a bagel, or with vegetables. Get creative here because this smoked cheese tastes good with almost anything.

Can I Store Leftover Cream Cheese In The Freezer?

You can wrap it tightly in plastic to freeze and then defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. But it will not taste the same, so I would not recommend freezing this appetizer.

How Do You Store Smoked Cream Cheese?

Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than seven days.

Feeding A Crowd?

You can easily smoke or bake two to three cream cheese bricks at a time.

What Type Of Wood Pellets Should I Use In The Smoker For This Cheese Appetizer?

If you want a smokey flavor that compliments the cheese, it’s best to use cherry, hickory, or apple wood pellets.

Final Thoughts On This Best Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe

Once you try this Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe, you’ll become addicted! Make this for any party and especially holiday gatherings. This appetizer is also great if you want to level up a charcuterie board.

Please share this recipe with friends and family! You can follow career girl meets… onPinterest,Instagram,Twitter, andFacebookfor more home decorideas,recipes, andgift guides.

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Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms