Smoked cream cheese is one of the easiest things you can put on a smoker. You score a block, coat it in rub and smoke it until the outside gets a golden crust. Serve it warm with crackers or chips, and watch it disappear.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 2 blocks (8 oz each) full-fat cream cheese, cold
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2–3 tbsp sweet and smoky rib rub or all-purpose BBQ rub
- 2 tbsp hot pepper jelly, honey or BBQ sauce, for topping
- 1 tbsp chopped chives or green onion
- Crackers, pita chips, pretzels or sliced vegetables, for serving
- Apple, cherry or pecan wood
Steps
- Keep the cream cheese in the fridge until the smoker is ready, so it holds its shape.
- Set your smoker to 225°F with apple, cherry or pecan wood.
- Unwrap the cream cheese blocks and set them in a small cast-iron pan or a foil pan. Score the top of each block in a crosshatch pattern about 1/4 inch deep.
- Brush the blocks with olive oil, then press the rub onto the top and sides.
- Smoke for about 2 hours, until the outside is golden and the scored top has puffed and cracked a little. The blocks should be soft and warm but still mostly hold their shape.
- Take the pan out of the smoker and spoon the pepper jelly, honey or sauce over the top.
- Sprinkle with chives and serve warm with crackers or vegetables.
Why this works
Cold cream cheese has a high fat content, so it soaks up smoke flavor well. The scoring gives more surface area for the rub and smoke to cling to, and it makes the dip easy to scoop. A low 225°F fire warms it slowly so it softens without melting into a puddle. Use full-fat blocks. Low-fat cream cheese and the soft tub kind can turn runny.
The rub
Our sweet and smoky rib rub gives a sweet, caramel-like crust that goes great with pepper jelly. For a savory version, use the all-purpose BBQ rub and top with BBQ sauce instead.
Best wood
Dairy picks up smoke quickly, so stick with mild woods. Apple, cherry and pecan all work well. Strong woods like mesquite can make it bitter. Our wood pairing chart has more mild options.
How to tell it's done
Look for a golden-brown crust, a puffed and slightly cracked top, and a soft, warm center when you press it with a spoon. About 2 hours is typical at 225°F. If your smoker runs hot, check it at 90 minutes.
Food safety tips
Cream cheese is a dairy food, so keep it cold until it goes on the smoker. Once it's done, serve it within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's sitting out somewhere above 90°F. If you add toppings like bacon, sausage or crab, use ones that are already fully cooked.
Make ahead / storage
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days. It firms up when cold and works well as a spread for bagels or sandwiches. Warm it gently in a low oven to serve it as a dip again.
Variations
- Everything bagel. Swap the rub for everything bagel seasoning.
- Bacon and chive. Top with crumbled cooked bacon and extra chives.
- Spicy. Add a pinch of cayenne to the rub and top with diced jalapeños.
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