Smoked Cream Cheese Dip: Two Ways
Recipe and Photos By | Lizzie West
There are always events and situations where you need to bring a side or appetizer to share – especially during holiday and tailgate season! Sometimes you want something super easy – but sometimes you want to really impress the party! Smoked cream cheese is a crowd pleaser that may require a little bit more prep, but ultimately ends up being a “set and forget” kind of contribution.
Let’s be honest. Not everyone has a smoker OR the time to dedicate to the traditional smoking process. That’s why I’m going to give you two options to create this popular smoked cream cheese appetizer – using a pellet smoker OR in the oven! The ingredients are almost identical.
Ingredients:
-One block of cream cheese
-Your favorite BBQ rub (something with a little salty and sweet works great)
-3-4 Green onions, finely chopped
-About 6 slices of bacon, chopped and cooked to just barely crispy
-1/3 cup Cheddar cheese
-Your preferred pellet, I like either PitBoss Apple Blend OR Competition Blend (For smoker method)
-A few drops (4-12, depending on your taste preference) of Liquid Smoke (For oven method)
Smoker Method
-Place cream cheese out to soften and start smoker on the lowest setting with your preferred pellets (180-190°F)
-Finely chop the green onions and bacon separately, cook the bacon on a low to medium setting until it just reaches lightly crispy, then add the green onions for about 30 seconds to one minute, to soften them. Drain the entire mixture on a paper towel then add to the softened cream cheese.
-Add seasoning to taste as well. Be cautious about this, there is already a lot of flavor from the bacon and onion, so it can get salty very easily. You will also be adding more seasoning later.
-Combine it all, then mix in the cheese. Use a spatula to form the mixture back into a block similar to the cream cheese’s original shape. You’ll want to do this in whatever heat safe dish you’ll be serving it in. Place this in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, to help it stay solid through the cooking process.
-Take it out of the freezer and use a sharp NON-serrated knife to create a criss cross pattern of lines almost halfway into the depth of the block. Sprinkle a light layer of additional seasoning over the top and sides of the block of cream cheese mixture.
-Place the whole thing on a rack in the preheated smoker for 1.5-2 hours, until the criss crossed lines start to separate and you can see a bit of smoke seeping into the crevices.
-Remove from the smoker, cool for a few minutes, and serve with crackers – I like Wheat Thins.
Oven Method
-Place cream cheese out to soften and preheat your over to 200-210°F
– Finely chop the green onions and bacon separately, cook the bacon on a low to medium setting until it just reaches lightly crispy, then add the green onions for about 30 seconds to one minute, to soften them. Drain the entire mixture on a paper towel then add to the softened cream cheese.
– Add seasoning to taste as well. Be cautious about this, there is already a lot of flavor from the bacon and onion, so it can get salty very easily. You will also be adding more seasoning later.
-Combine these ingredients, then fold in the cheese. Mix in 2-3 drops of Liquid Smoke and taste until you have you desired level of smokiness. You don’t need much and a little goes a LONG way!
– Use a spatula to form the mixture back into a block similar to the cream cheese’s original shape. You’ll want to do this in whatever oven safe dish you’ll be serving it in. Place this in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, to help it stay solid through the cooking process.
-Take it out of the freezer and use a sharp NON-serrated knife to create a criss cross pattern of lines almost halfway into the depth of the block. Sprinkle a light layer of additional seasoning over the top and sides of the block of cream cheese mixture.
-Place the whole dish on a rack in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the criss crossed lines start to separate and it looks like the outside is a bit caramelized.
-Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, and serve with crackers – Again, Wheat Thins are an immaculate choice.
Tips for alternate seasoning:
-Instead of mixing everything together, simply crisscross the top, brush with a light layer of liquid smoke for an oven preparation and season liberally on the outside, then smoke/bake it as directed above. Then pour jalapeno jam/jelly over it and serve with crackers – it’s the perfect salty-sweet treat!
-If you are pressed for time, you can buy precooked bacon and microwave it for about 8-10 seconds and chop it up to mix in.
-You like spicy? Add about ¼ of a finely chopped jalapeno (or spicier pepper) to the bacon onion mixture before combining.
-Experiment with different flavor combinations and rubs – you can even use things like the “Snickers” seasoning sold in stores for a dessert version and serve it with graham crackers! Bon Appetit!
Lizzie West is a local B/CS baker, make-up artist, Mary Kay consultant, writer, and the Bryan Broad-casting Digital Content Coordinator. Find more of her contributions and recipes in our magazines including Brazos Wellness, PEACE: Brazos Christian Life, Brazos Family, and Brazos Valley Bride at BrazosLife.com.