The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
This Smoked Cream Cheese cooks fast on a Traeger grill and may just disappear even quicker at a party. “Highly addicting” doesn’t begin to describe the flavorful, savory taste of a good smoked cream cheese.
It costs approximately $2.66 to make this recipe. The recipe makes eight servings for about $0.33 per serving.
Some of my favorite dipping sides for smoked cream cheese include pasta chips or buffalo cauliflower. Since you can make this cream cheese sweet or savory, it’s very versatile!
Smoked Cream Cheese
Smooth and tangy cream cheese goes with everything, from bagels to tortilla chips and crackers. So whether you need it for a party or breakfast, it’s a versatile topping and spread. This recipe is no exception.
With this recipe, you’ll pair the deep smokey flavor that a Traeger grill provides with sweet apple or nutty pecan wood pellets and the dry rub of your choice!
I encourage you to try this smoked cream cheese recipe with everything. It’s just that good. Go beyond bagels and tortilla chips, even.
Depending on what dry rub you use for your cream cheese, try fruits and veggies, like fried sweet potato, apple slices, or celery. Nothing quite like that perfect blend of savory, salty, and sweet!
Note that I use a wood pellet grill for most of this process. More specifically, this recipe assumes you have a Traeger smoker/grill.
I highly recommend apple, pecan, or competition blend wood pellets for this recipe.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $0.33
Recipe Cost: $2.66
- 8 ounces cream cheese block – $2.24
- 1 ½ Tablespoon dry rub – $0.42
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
How to Smoke Cream Cheese
This is another one of those smoker recipes that seems way too simple for all the flavor it provides, but it’s really very easy, even for a beginner!
- Preheat the Traeger smoker to 215°F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Score the top of the cream cheese block.
- Sprinkle your chosen rub onto the top and sides of the cream cheese.
- Gently pat the rub into the cream cheese.
- Place the cream cheese onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet on the smoker and smoke the cream cheese for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sides!
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- You can adjust the flavor of this recipe by changing the rub you put on top of the cream cheese before smoking it. The options are endless! For some inspiration, look under the recipe FAQs for some ideas.
- For a sweet cream cheese, coat it with a cinnamon sugar blend. Drizzle it with honey after it’s done smoking. Bring out the Nilla wafers for this one!
- For a Mexican-style cream cheese, coat it with taco seasoning. Add Rotel and pickled jalapenos on top of it when it’s done, then serve it with Fritos and tortilla chips.
- For meat lovers, know that you can easily add cooked, crumbled bacon to the cream cheese before you smoke it.
- A big fan of garlic? Roasted garlic rub pairs great with this recipe.
- Everything bagel seasoning is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to smoked cream cheese. It’ll make waking up in the morning about ten times more worthwhile!
Storage Tips
SERVE: You can serve this cream cheese immediately. No need to wait like with many other smoker recipes! It’s good warm or cold.
STORE: You can put your smoked cream cheese in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. (Though you may not have much of it left over, it’s so addicting!)
REHEAT: You can easily reheat this recipe by placing it in the oven at 350°F for ten minutes or until just warmed through! Again, it’s good warm or cold, so there is no need to reheat it if you want something fresh out of the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
The prep time is only about 5 minutes since you’re essentially adding the rub to the cheese. After that, you’ll smoke the cream cheese for 2 hours or so.
One 8 oz block should give enough for eight servings, give or take!
More smoked recipes:
- Smoked Burgers
- Smoked Beef Ribs
- Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
- Smoked Bologna
- Smoked Chili
- Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Smoked Chuck Roast
- Smoked Ribs
- Smoked Meatloaf
- Smoked Lobster Tail
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
Smoked Cream Cheese
Instructions
PREP SMOKER AND BAKING SHEET:
- Preheat the smoker to 215° F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
PREP CREAM CHEESE:
- Score the top of the cream cheese block in a criss-cross pattern.
- Sprinkle the rub onto the top and sides of the cream cheese.
- Gently pat the rub into the cream cheese.
- Place the cream cheese onto the prepared baking sheet.
SMOKE CREAM CHEESE:
- Place the baking sheet on the smoker and smoke for 1 ½ to 2 hour.
SERVE:
- Serve with your favorite dipping sides like veggies and chips.
Aimee Mars says
I had never tried anything like this before. WOW – so easy and delicious. Adding this to my top 5 recipes!
Shadi Hasanzade says
What an awesome idea! My family is going to go crazy for this!
Janessa says
This is so delicious!! It disappeared very quickly.
Michelle says
Simple, cheap, and unbelievably delicious! I didn’t even want to share!