Why We Love This Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe
We love using our electric Traeger smoker for recipes other than just main dish proteins. This Smoked Cream Cheese recipe makes a fabulous and unique dip or spread for parties and snacks! Here we coat a block of rich and tangy cream cheese with a combination of brown sugar and earthy and bold spices. The flavor is irresistibly deep and savory, with just the right hint of sweetness and a creamy texture. Prep is easy and takes only a few minutes, and the coated cheese smokes in just about an hour. This is a dip that tastes amazing and seems super impressive but is basically effortless to make. Serve this easy appetizer warm with crunchy crackers and/or veggies, or use the smoky cream cheese dip as a spread on bread and other dishes. You won’t believe how fast it will disappear!
Ingredients You Need
Cream cheese – a block of full-fat cream cheese Light brown sugar – the sweetness balances out the bold spices Ancho chili powder – a mild spice that has just a light kick of heat, but feel free to omit Paprika – smoked paprika is perfect for this recipe Dried thyme – adds a nice warm, earthy flavor Garlic powder – for a dash of savoriness Salt and pepper – we use a generous amount here to really punch up all of the spices
We love this combination of smoky spices with a touch of sweetness, but feel free to mix up the dry rub for the cream cheese with any herbs and spices you like!
How to Smoke Cream Cheese
Preheat an electric smoker to 200°F. Add your favorite wood pellets to the smoker (like hickory, mesquite, or cherry wood pellets.) Set out a shallow dish and measure the sugar, herbs, and spices into the dish. Mix the dry rub seasoning well and shake out into a thin layer. Open the block of cream cheese. Use a sharp knife to cut a crosshatch pattern on the top of the cream cheese block. Make sure the knife only goes down into the cream cheese about ¼ inch. Gently press the block of cream cheese into the spice rub on all sides so it’s fully coated. The spice rub not only flavors the cream cheese but also acts as a wrapper to hold it together, so coat it well. Place the cream cheese on a small baking pan with the cross-hatch side up. Then place on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke the cream cheese for one hour to develop smoky flavor. Carefully move the cream cheese block to a serving platter. Pro Tip: It will be very soft so move it carefully with a large flat spatula.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with your favorite dippers! The soft, creamy cheese is incredible with crunchy crackers… And the smoky spices make it great with all kinds of flavors of crackers, from super mild water crackers, to earthy whole wheat crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, bagel chips, graham crackers, nilla wafers, and even apple slices! This low-carb smoked cream cheese recipe is perfect for gluten-free snackers, too! Serve with crisp fresh veggies like bell pepper slices, carrot sticks, celery sticks, thick cucumber slices, or any of your favorite sturdy vegetables. It’s also scrumptious to use as a spread on warm pieces of sliced baguette or hunks of crusty bread. Or on savory sandwiches where you’d typically enjoy plain cream cheese! Try it on thick-sliced turkey or chicken sandwiches, on a low carb bell pepper sandwich, or on these summer garden hot dogs.
Looking for More Delicious Dips & Spreads? Be Sure to Try:
Smoked Salmon Dip Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip Best Pimento Cheese Creamy Sausage Cheese Dip Smoked Queso Dip
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