Always there for the home chef, count on cream cheese to make the holiday delicious. ‘Tis the season to make a flurry of cream cheese recipes!
Read on to unlock these 27 tasty cream cheese recipes and make a few at home!
Cream cheese is a rich and silky, smooth fresh cheese that’s exceptionally versatile in the kitchen.
It’s one of those must-have ingredients, so no wonder it’s included so often in many recipes—in pasta, in chicken dishes, in dips, as well as to thicken sauces and soups.
Can you believe cream cheese is almost 150 years old??
And wouldn’t you know it, the “lite” cream cheese called Neufchatel came first in the whole process!
One hero of our kitchen has always been this easy Taco Dip.
You can even use cream cheese to make pancakes and cookies!
Whether you’re experimenting with the fresh cheese or want to use the excess in your kitchen, you’re in luck.
One of the best things about making a recipe with cream cheese is that once you get your cream cheese softened, you are ready to go!
Oh, and how about this Crack Dip that features ranch seasoning AND bacon.
Cream Cheese just makes cooking for the holidays super simple and delish. So keep reading for more of what to make with cream cheese!
A few of these recipes are straightforward, like Cream Cheese Pasta and Cream Cheese Danish, but in case you’re opting for a more challenging cooking adventure, pick #22!

Imagine some sweet and fluffy cookies melting in your mouth with a nice tang from cream cheese and a warm floral note from vanilla.
Sooo heavenly!
Take the cookies to another level by dusting them with powdered sugar or drizzling them with melted white chocolate.
To make ahead, store them in the fridge, and enjoy the cookies anytime.
Crackers, chips, bacon strips, and crunchy veggies are begging to be served with this warm, spicy, cream cheese dip filled with garlic clove and seasoned salt.
The combination of cream cheese and milk provides a nice creamy, dippable texture while the addition of minced chive makes the dip look extraordinary.

Perfect as a party appetizer, these baked cream cheese wontons are filled with shrimp, cream cheese, and spices, resulting in a burst of rich, hearty flavor.
They can stand alone, but pairing them with plum sauce makes a big difference.
For best results, bake them for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy and golden.
With just a few simple ingredients, this cream cheese-based alfredo sauce is one of the creamiest and most delicious sauces you’ll ever make.
The secret to the creaminess lies in the combination of cream cheese, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese.
Yum!
Serve it over pasta noodles or use it in any dishes that call for the sauce.
We have some great tips and recipes for homemade alfredo sauce here, too.
There’s nothing quite like mac and cheese.
Rich and creamy, it’s the ultimate comfort food that’s loved by both children and adults.
This recipe uses a combination of three kinds of cheese whipped up on the stove for about 20 minutes.
Too thick? Thin out the mixture by adding a little bit of milk or water.
Reheat leftovers like a champ, too, with these tips.

In this easy dinner, pasta is coated with smooth and creamy sauce and finished with good olive oil, freshly grated parmesan, and aromatic spices.
The combination of cream cheese and parmesan offers every bite full of creamy goodness.
What’s more, the pasta is ready in just 10 minutes.
Once you take a single bite on these cream cheese mashed potatoes, you can’t stop the dish—that’s for sure!
The recipe is smooth, creamy, decadent, and perfectly seasoned with garlic and herbs.
You can even take things up a notch by drizzling browned butter, different herbs, or pesto on top!

Take your basic spaghetti and meat sauce to new heights by turning them into baked casserole laden with cream cheese and parmesan cheese.
The only challenge in making the recipe is combining the noodles with the cream cheese.
Pro tip: Ensure not to go overboard on the Italian seasoning as this might overpower the other ingredients.

Looking for Mexican-inspired recipes with cream cheese?
Check out these cream cheese chicken enchiladas seasoned with warm spices and lime juice!
A lot is going on in this recipe—it features tasty, golden Mexican cheese on top, rich cream cheese combined with hearty chicken.
If you’re still undecided about what to make with cream cheese, this crack chicken might be the one you’re looking for.
The dish is incredibly addicting!
Why?
Because it’s loaded with cheddar cheese, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, and bacon. Oh my!
These 8-ingredient dessert balls are made from crushed GF Oreo cookies.
Mix with cream cheese and then coat with melted chocolate—they’re ideal for an easy potluck dessert for the Christmas holiday!
Play around the recipe and include toppings to your liking—sprinkles, chopped almonds, crushed candy canes—you name it!
There are many tasty things to make with cream cheese and these lemon bars are one of them.
Sweet, lemony, and buttery at the same time, the dessert highlights cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla.
In case you won’t eat all of them right away, store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Gorgeous and sweet cream cheese melts on top of these moist pumpkin muffins that are seasoned with pumpkin spice—they’re full of fall flavors!
If you don’t have the seasoning on hand, then make your own!
Homemade pumpkin pie spice only requires ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice.
This version of banana bread is ultra-soft with creaminess you couldn’t resist.
It’s seasoned with ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, making it a good treat for the Fall season.
The secret to its lusciously smooth and tender textural nuance? Cream cheese!

15. Cheesecake
Cheesecake? Of course!
But wait—before you get intimidated—check out this recipe!
It’s made using a simple water bath method that’s quite beginner-friendly.
The dessert calls for basic ingredients and is customizable.
You can alter the crust—mix fun ingredients like cookie dough or swirl it with caramel and fudge.
Bonus: This is Andi’s favorite no-bake cheesecake recipe with lime zest and a ginger snap crust!
How long can cheesecake sit out? Here are some tips.

This pie is made with a straightforward graham cracker crust, sweet cream cheese layer, and topped with fresh strawberries soaked in a jam glaze.
The dessert is visually appealing and truly delicious.
Trust me—you won’t settle for just one slice.
You’ll also love the part where you can make the crust and the filling a day or two in advance.

When it comes to easy cream cheese recipes, this danish pastry version should be the victor among all.
The recipe calls for crescent rolls and a few other basic ingredients like vanilla, sour cream, and sugar.
The filling possibilities are endless; choose from cream cheese, jams, preserves, pie fillings, a combination of those!

Slightly spiced with cinnamon, these pancakes take advantage of your extra cream cheese—you’ll love them!
The addition of cream cheese makes the pancakes surprisingly fluffy and the granulated sugar is the only sweetener used in the mix.

This slow cooker chicken chili recipe is a perfectly simple and inexpensive way to feed a hungry crowd.
Place chicken at the crockpot, toss other ingredients, and wait for it to cook.
In the recipe, cream cheese is also included, giving the chili a nice creamy touch.
There are tons of things to do with cream cheese that aren’t complex and this recipe is one of them.
Stuffed with cream cheese and herbs, the chicken is astonishingly oozing with fresh flavor. It’s delicious when served with brown rice or roasted cauliflower.
Pro tip: To avoid the exterior of the meat from drying out, put a single layer of bacon on top; it adds extra flavor, too!
The appearance of these golden brown roll-ups is akin to churros, but with ooey-gooey goodness in every bite.
The cinnamon allows the sliced bread (don’t be shocked) to get an aromatic finish and the fresh cheese incorporates a slight sweetness with a hint of tang.
These crab wontons are ultimately crispy, filled with soft and flavorful cream cheese, and best served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Great for parties or everyday snacking, this recipe is also surprisingly easy to make and prepare.
Pro tip: Wet the corners of the wonton wrappers with dabs of water or egg wash to seal them.

Warning! Addicting recipe ahead!
These crescents are undeniably pleasing, thanks to the sausage filling made with cream cheese and pimento shredded cheese.
To make, cut each triangle in half lengthwise, top of each piece of dough with the mixture, then roll it over the filling, creating a mini-stuffed crescent roll.
The traditional dessert from New England gets an interesting spice with pumpkin, spices, and maple.
Ta-da—the perfect fall dessert—pumpkin whoopie pies!
Instead of chocolate or buttercream, the recipe uses maple cream cheese frosting to complement the pumpkin flavor of the cake sandwich layers.

Cake or cookies?
Why not have both?
These oatmeal carrot cake cookies bring two of your favorite desserts together: cake and cookie.
Each delight is topped with super-duper sweet frosting made with homemade cream cheese and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
These brownies taste like chocolate brownies and cheesecake!
They’re rich, chocolatey, and fudgy with nuances of sweet and tangy cream cheese.
You’ll adore the texture of these brownies: chewy edges with fudgy centers—oh, now we’re talking.

This recipe only needs a bar of cream cheese to give your chicken soup another lease on life.
It’s delicious with soft dinner rolls!
Aside from milk, potatoes lend this comforting dish creamy and buttery indulgence, which is even enhanced with the blend of chicken broth and butter.
The bottom line
Indeed, there are many ways to use cream cheese; some of them are even outside of these highlights.
And we love bonus recipes: We love this Spinach And Artichoke Dip, too.
If you are a huge fan of dips, try our very own fruit dip recipe that features whipped cream, vanilla, and of course—cream cheese.
The dip isn’t limited to your favorite fruits only; you can even dunk veggies or pretzels in it, too!
Running out of cream cheese? Replace it with these substitutes.

27 Cream Cheese Recipes
Looking for recipes with cream cheese? Read on to unlock these 27 creative cream cheese recipes!
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese Cookies
- Cream Cheese Dip
- Baked Cream Cheese Wontons
- Cream Cheese Garlic Alfredo Sauce
- Cream Cheese Mac And Cheese
- Cream Cheese Pasta
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole
- Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Oreo Cookie Balls
- Cream Cheese Lemon bars
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins
- Cream Cheese Banana Bread
- Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Easy Cream Cheese Danish
- Cream Cheese Pancakes
- Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- Cream Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken
- Baked Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
- Cream Cheese Rangoons
- Sausage Cream Cheese Crescents
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Oatmeal Carrot Cake Cookies
- Cream Cheese Brownies
- Cream Cheese Chicken Soup
Instructions
- Choose one or more options from our list of cream cheese recipes here!
- Create your new favorite dish.
- Pat yourself on the back for making food at home!
- Please share our list if you love it!