Best Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe

Smoked cream cheese is perfect for a charcuterie board or appetizer with crackers. Impress your guests with a homemade smoked cream cheese block. Make it deliciously two ways with pizza seasoning and BBQ spice rub.

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What Makes Smoked Cream Cheese So Good? 

Cream cheese dips are already a classic party snack, and when you add some smoky flavor, they only get better. The good news is that smoking cream cheese adds a lot of flavor with minimal effort.

If you have never tried a smoked cream cheese dip before and you have a smoker or pellet grill, you owe it to yourself to try out this smoked cream cheese.

Why Do You Need To Try This Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe Today? 

Smoked cream cheese with pepper jelly or bacon jam may be your go-to recipe whenever you think of a smoked cream cheese block, but these two variations are easier, cheaper, and ultimately equally tasty.

Some people may even claim they are more delicious. Make one or both of these versions for your next get-together and impress your guests.

Ingredients You Will Need 

This smoked cream cheese Traeger pellet smoker owners love has two different options. You can choose to make both versions or only one.

To make the pizza-flavored smoked cream cheese, you will need:

• A block of cream cheese 
• Canola oil 
• Pizza seasoning

Use a full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. Low-fat cream cheese will not have optimal results.

If you can’t find pizza seasoning in your grocery store, you can order online, make your own, or substitute another seasoning mix of your choosing, such as taco seasoning or everything bagel seasoning.

To make the BBQ-flavored smoked cream cheese, you will need:

• A block of cream cheese 
• Mustard
• BBQ dry rub – use your favorite BBQ rub

Use mild mustard for this BBQ smoked cream cheese recipe. The mustard is more of a way to keep the BBQ dry rub spices on the cream cheese than a major flavoring component for the dish. 

Nutritional Information

You can find the calories, protein, potassium, fat, carbohydrate, calcium, and vitamin nutrition in the recipe card below.

How to Make Smoked Cream Cheese

To prepare Pizza-Flavored Smoked Cream Cheese:

1. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. 
2. Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and brush on the canola oil. 
3. Sprinkle the pizza seasoning (or alternative seasoning if you prefer) evenly on all sides. 
4. Put the cream cheese block into the smallest disposable loaf pan that will hold it. 
5. Score the top of the cream cheese in a crosshatch pattern.
6. Smoke the cream cheese for two hours. Remove and let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm.

To prepare BBQ-Flavored Smoked Cream Cheese:

1. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. 
2. Take the cream cheese directly from the fridge and brush on the mustard. 
3. Sprinkle the BBQ dry rub seasoning evenly on all sides. 
4. Put the cream cheese block into the smallest disposable loaf pan that will fit it. 
5. Score the top of the cream cheese in a crosshatch pattern.
6. Smoke the cream cheese for two hours. Remove and let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm.

What To Serve Smoked Cream Cheese With 

Crackers, toasted baguette bread, tortilla chips, celery, carrots, soft pretzels, and hard pretzels are all great for dipping. Use the smoked cream cheese to make pinwheel sandwiches, bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers, or add a schmear to your morning bagel!

Smoked Cream Cheese Dessert

If you smoke cream cheese with cinnamon and brown sugar, you can make a dessert version. Drizzle it with honey and serve it with apple slices. Or top it with apple or cherry pie filling and serve it with graham crackers.

Cherry or apple wood chips are good options for pellets with a fruity flavor profile.

What Types of Wood Are Ideal for Smoked Cream Cheese 

Try using pecan or hickory pellets for smoking cream cheese, depending on which flavors you are after.

• Pecan is mild and has a bit of a light nutty taste that works well with highly spiced cream cheese.
• Hickory smoke is intense and works amazingly well with BBQ dry rub cream cheese.

How To Store Smoked Cream Cheese

Cool the cream cheese completely. Cover the loaf pan with pieces of aluminum foil or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator.

How long does Smoked Cream Cheese last? The smoke only adds flavor and doesn’t preserve the cream cheese. You should finish it within a week.

How to Reheat Smoked Cream Cheese 

The ideal smoked cream cheese temp should be warm enough to allow it to spread easily but not hot enough to turn into liquid.

You can reheat individual portions in the microwave by zapping them for about 30 seconds.

If you want to serve the rest of the cream cheese block, cover the mini loaf pan with aluminum foil and pop it into a preheated 225 to 250-degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard any reheated leftovers.

Equipment needed

I will either use disposable foil pans, you could use a foil pie plate, or you could purchase larger disposable foil pans. I have also used 1/4 sheet pan for my smoker. You can use sheet pans in the smoker if you desire, but they may not be ones you would want to use for everyday baking. If you are going to take that route, I recommend that you dedicate a pan or two for the smoker.

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Smoked Cream Cheese – BBQ & Pizza Flavors

Homemade smoked cream cheese with BBQ and pizza flavors is great for an appetizer.

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Smoked Cream Cheese

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 111kcal

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons pizza seasoning
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 2 tablespoons BBQ rub seasoning

Instructions

• Preheat smoker to 225°F.

• Brush oil over one block of cream cheese.

• Sprinkle on pizza seasoning blend.

• Place the pizza seasoned cream cheese on a disposable pan. Use a sharp knife to score the cream cheese.

• Brush mustard over one block of cream cheese.

• Sprinkle on BBQ rub seasoning blend.

• Place the BBQ seasoned cream cheese on a disposable pan. Use a sharp knife to score the cream cheese.

• If you really love the smoke flavor, score the cream cheese before placing it in the smoker.

• Place the disposable pans in the smoker.

• Smoke for two hours.

• Serve with crackers, pita chips, and tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg