Smoked Cream Cheese
intro
Rich, creamy, smoky spread ideal for crackers, veggies, or bagels, infused with mild apple wood smoke and coated in a savory spiced crust.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the cream cheese
Remove the 226g block of full-fat cream cheese from its foil packaging, and pat the entire surface completely dry with paper towels. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to take off the chill, which helps seasoning stick and smoke penetrate evenly.
Season the cheese block
Rub the entire surface of the room-temperature cream cheese with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to create a sticky base. Mix the ½ tsp (3g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (3g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2g) smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp (1g) ground black pepper in a small glass bowl, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over all sides of the cream cheese, pressing gently to help the spices adhere.
Preheat your smoker
Preheat your electric, charcoal, or pellet smoker to 225°F (107°C) using indirect heat. Add 2 cups (60g) of apple wood chips (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes then fully drained) to the smoker box or coals once the target temperature is reached, waiting until thin, wispy blue smoke flows steadily before adding food.
Smoke the cream cheese
Place the seasoned cream cheese block directly on the lightly oiled smoker grate, or on a small wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to catch any minor drips. Close the smoker lid, maintain a steady 225°F (107°C) temperature, and smoke for 2 full hours, avoiding opening the lid for the first 90 minutes to prevent heat and smoke loss.
Cool the smoked cheese
After 2 hours of smoking, carefully remove the cream cheese from the smoker using long metal tongs—the block will be soft to the touch and darkened to a deep golden amber color. Transfer it to a clean lidded glass storage container, and let it cool completely at room temperature for 30 minutes before sealing.
Chill and serve
Seal the glass container with an airtight lid, and refrigerate the smoked cream cheese for a minimum of 4 hours (or up to 24 hours) to let the smoky flavor mellow and the cheese firm back to a smooth, spreadable consistency. Serve alongside buttery crackers, sliced fresh veggies, or toasted bagel chips.
Tips
2.Never use whipped cream cheese for this recipe, as its high incorporated air content will cause it to melt, sag, and lose its block shape during the low-and-slow smoking process; stick to firm, block-style full-fat cream cheese.
3.Smoked cream cheese will keep sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, making it a perfect make-ahead appetizer for parties and gatherings—just avoid freezing it, as the texture will become grainy and crumbly once thawed.
OMG, this smoked cream cheese was a total game changer at our neighborhood potluck last weekend! I sprinkled everything bagel seasoning on top before smoking, and people were literally hovering over the platter asking for the recipe. So easy to throw together too, even for someone who’s still new to using their pellet smoker.
SO good, I made this on Sunday for meal prep and it’s been the perfect spread for my morning bagels all week. I did a sweet version with a little cinnamon and brown sugar rub, and it tastes like a fancy cheesecake dip without all the work. Only note is don’t skip the chilling time, I tried a bite right off the smoker and it was way too runny!
My kids loved this! I was worried the smoky flavor would be too intense for them, but they ate half the block with apple slices after dinner last night. Super straightforward recipe, didn’t require any fancy ingredients I didn’t already have in the pantry. Will be making this for our next family game night for sure.
Wait, quick question—can I make this on a regular charcoal grill if I don’t have a pellet smoker? I’ve been dying to try smoked cream cheese but haven’t upgraded my smoker setup yet, and this recipe looks too good to wait.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was the first dish gone! I topped mine with hot honey and crispy bacon bits after it was done chilling, and my coworkers kept bugging me for the recipe all afternoon. 10/10, way easier than bringing a fancy casserole that takes all day to make.
Tried this last night and wow, I can’t believe how much flavor gets into the cream cheese from just 2 hours of smoke! I used hickory wood because that’s all I had, and it was the perfect level of smoky, not overpowering at all. My only mishap was I forgot to score the top of the block before putting it on, so the seasoning didn’t sink in as much, but it still slapped.
Absolute staple for football Sundays now. I make a big batch, set out a bunch of different dippers (tortilla chips, celery, mini pretzels, even dill pickles!), and my friends don’t even ask what it is anymore—they just dive in. Way cheaper than buying fancy smoked dips from the grocery store, and tastes 10x better too. If you’re on the fence about making this, just do it, you won’t regret it.