Smoked cream cheese is a delicious treat that you have to try. Smoking cream cheese imparts a delicious, deep smoke flavor to this creamy, tangy cheese that creates a final product that is so good on its own with crackers or combined with other ingredients to create a dip.
This smoked cream cheese dip recipe is a tasty snack or dessert and creates apple pie, cinnamon sugar, pumpkin pie or savory taco or BBQ flavored smoked cream cheese.
I put cream cheese in almost everything I can, and my husband smokes everything he possibly can. It only made sense to combine our two loves and smoke cream cheese and make the best smoked cream cheese dip we could and we succeeded.
Smoking Cream Cheese
This was inspired by my cream cheese corn dip recipe on this site, and pairs well with these amazing smoked pretzels. I figured that if cream cheese could work so well with the spicy flavors of the corn, it would be perfect smoked. The smoked pretzels were the perfect pairing!
Ingredients
This smoked cream cheese recipe can be done in a few ways. Even so, it only takes a handful of ingredients to make any of these delicious varieties!
- Cream cheese brick
- BBQ rub seasoning
OR
- Taco seasoning
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Apple pie
- Pumpkin pie
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Instructions
Making any of these smoked cream cheese dessert varieties is incredibly simple. It takes next to no work whatsoever. Just fire up the smoker and add some seasoning. That's it!
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the smoker to 200 degrees. Get out your seasonings of choice.
Step 2: Coat the Cream Cheese
Coat your cream cheese block in the seasoning of your choice
Step 3: How Long to Smoke Cream Cheese
Place the coated cream cheese block in a 9x9 disposable aluminum pan and smoke at 200 degrees. Once the cream cheese has turned a golden color and cracked at the top, it's done.
Hint: Use hiqh-quality pellets or wood chips when smoking to ensure the best possible flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change things up with this smoked cream cheese dip.
- Your Favorite Spice Mixes - Don't feel locked into any one BBQ or taco mix brand. Try a variety to find the ones that you love the most.
- Your Favorite Wood - Use your favorite wood for smoking this cream cheese. Both strong and mild woods work well.
- Spicy - Add some cayenne powder or red pepper flakes to the BBQ or taco seasoning for an extra kick of heat.
- Different Spice Mixes - Don't feel locked into any one flavor. Try a variety to find the ones that you love the most. The great thing about this recipe is how simple it is. Try your favorite spice mixes to coat the cream cheese before smoking it. We have listed some of our favorites below.
Smoked Cream Cheese Dessert Recipes
Apple Pie Smoked Cream Cheese - Simply coat cream cheese in this spice mixture before smoking for a wonderful apple pie flavored treat.
Smoked Cream Cheese Cinnamon Sugar - If you're in the mood for cinnamon sugar cream cheese we have you covered. It's super easy to coat your cream cheese in it.
Pumpkin Pie - Perfect for fall, these flavors go perfectly with smoked cream cheese recipe.
Taco - My son's favorite flavor, I had to include it and it's definitely worth a try if you're not in the mood for a sweet smoked cream cheese dip instead of savory.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these air fryer cream cheese wontons.
Storage
You can store this cream cheese in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to eight weeks.
Tips
It doesn't get much easier than this smoked cream cheese dessert recipe. That being said, even easy things have little tricks to make them better. Take a look at these!
- To easily coat your cream cheese, sprinkle the seasoning of your choice in your hand and press it onto the outside.
- Be sure to thoroughly soak your wood chips before smoking. You want the wood to smoke, not burn.
- Don't open the lid of the smoker until about 90 minutes have passed and it's time to check the cream cheese.
FAQ
Do you have questions about smoked cream cheese dessert? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about smoking cream cheese and creating the best smoked cream cheese dip.
You can serve it cold or hot. It's delicious either way!
Absolutely. Smoking cream cheese is a great way to add more depth of flavor to dishes like dips and casseroles.
Place the coated cream cheese block in a 9x9 disposable aluminum pan and smoke at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. Once the cream cheese has turned a golden color and cracked at the top, it's done.
More Cream Cheese Recipes
Do you like cream cheese? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Smoked Cream Cheese
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Smoked Cream Cheese
Equipment
- smoker
- One 9″ x 9″ disposable aluminum pan
Ingredients
- 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons barbecue rub use hickory wood
Other Options - Choose 1 Seasoning Blend ONLY
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning use hickory wood
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon sugar use maple wood
- 1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice use maple wood
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple pie spice use maple wood
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients
- Prepare your grill or smoker for 200 degrees F.
- Use your favorite pellets, wood chips or chunks of your choice. We prefer hickory for savory seasonings and maple for sweet.
- Press cream cheese into seasoning blend of your choice. Try to cover all sides as best you can. Place cream cheese brick inside your foil pan.
- Place the pan with cream cheese into the smoker, close the lid and smoke for 2 hours.
- The top splits at around 90 minutes and I like to leave it on for another 20 to 30 minutes to enhance flavor. Any longer and cream cheese dries out too much.
- Remove from smoker.
- Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before eating.
- Serve savory with crackers, rounds of bread, pita chips, or even corn chips and sweet seasonings with vanilla wafers and graham crackers!
Notes
- To easily coat your cream cheese, sprinkle the seasoning of choice in your hand and press it onto the outside.
- Be sure to thoroughly soak your wood chips before smoking. You want the wood to smoke, not burn.
- Don't open the lid of the smoker until about 90 minutes have passed and it's time to check the cream cheese.
Nutrition
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