This smoked cream cheese recipe is a quick, smoky appetizer made with liquid smoke. Serve with crackers, spread on sandwiches, or stuff into peppers. Start with softened cream cheese and mix in seasonings by hand. We used Everything Spicy from Flavor God, but any garlic-heavy blend works great. Liquid smoke adds that deep flavor without needing the time or fuss in an actual smoker!

For this recipe, you will need cream cheese, liquid smoke, milk or water, BBQ rub or a garlic seasoning blend and salt. No sweat or elbow grease required! Sturdy crackers or veggies welcome.

How to make smoked cream cheese spread

You can count on this recipe to make enough to serve 6 as an appetizer. We all tried and liked this and still had enough to put on a couple of grilled burgers. Want this smoked cream cheese recipe to have a bit more heat? Add a dash of cayenne pepper. So get those sturdy crackers ready. Remember, the longer you whip, the lighter it becomes.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T liquid smoke
1 T milk or water
1 t BBQ rub or garlic herb seasoning
1/4 t table salt

Instructions:

Set out the package of cream cheese for a couple of hours to ensure that it is at room temperature before mixing.
In a small bowl, mix together the room temp cream cheese, liquid smoke, and salt until well combined.
Add the milk or water a little at a time and continue stirring.
Transfer the mixture to a small, shallow dish or ramekin and smooth the top with a spatula.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
Remove from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature before serving. Whip at room temp with a fork or whisk to help make it creamy and easier to eat with crackers.
Is it still a bit stiff? Add a teaspoon of water or milk and continue stirring.
Taste right before serving. Add more seasoning to taste. The flavors will continue to improve as it sits. Add a dash of cayenne pepper if you want more heat.
Serve the smoked cream cheese as a spread for crackers or bread, or use it as a topping for grilled vegetables, stuffed mini peppers, or spread on burgers.

Note: You can adjust the amount of liquid smoke to taste. Start with a smaller amount and add more as desired. You can also add other flavorings to the smoked cream cheese spread, such as minced herbs or spices, to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Supplies to gather

I’ve been cooking a long time, and this is still one of the hardest habits I’ve had trouble starting.

I tend to pull it all out as I need it, but having it all out in front of you before you begin combining ingredients makes it easier on you.

All of those TV chefs have it right.

Read the recipe in advance and pull out everything and measure it so you can put all the ingredients away, ESPECIALLY the cold ingredients.

Tools:

Medium mixing bowl
Fork
Measuring spoon
Mixing spoon
Bowl scraper
Cellophane or Gladware with lid

Instructions:

Cream cheese
LIquid smoke
Seasoning blend: We used Flavor God, but steak seasoning from Aldi is great or any BBQ dry rub. Any blend will do, and you can add more heat or whatever else you like
A little milk or water
Table salt (sea salt won’t melt well and will be too chunky)

Ways to use smoked cream cheese

A natural addition to a party snack table: shuffle some wheat thins, triscuits, or ritz crackers alongside a bowl of smoked cream cheese spread!
Make it even heartier and add toasted bagel pieces, crostini, or scoop out a bread boule and add this dip to the center.
Lighten it up and fill mini bell peppers with this luscious smoky cream cheese appetizer. They go together really well. You can even partially wrap the filled peppers in foil and grill them. This was our favorite way to eat this smoked cream cheese recipe!
Slather spoonfuls onto hot burgers! Skip the ketchup and mustard and let this bbq-smoky spice wonder cream cheese spread do all the work!
Add this to hot subs or grilled sandwiches, including the humble grilled cheese!
Stack it with some lunch meat onto flour tortillas with lettuce and tomato and roll them up into pinwheels! A great lunchbox addition!

How to store smoked cream cheese spread

For spread that has been sitting out on a party table for a few hours, use a bowl scraper to transfer it all to a clean, bowl with a lid. Cover and put in the fridge for up to three days.
For fresh spread that you want to save for your party, cover the mixing bowl with cellophane or foil tightly and put in the fridge for up to a week. Keep cold, and when ready to serve as a dip, let it come to room temp before serving.
Want to keep it around for longer? Here are some of our tips for freezing cream cheese.

The bottom line

This smoked cream cheese recipe is simple, easy to mix together, and goes with pretty much everything on the snack table.

Try it with almost any garlic-heavy seasoning blend, add cayenne for extra heat if you want it, and remember to let the flavors meld in the fridge FIRST, but then let it come to room temp before serving, especially if you’ve got crackers ready to go.

(You want it smooth and creamy, not stiff from the cold.)

More Cream Cheese Ideas