Easy Smoked Cream Cheese with Hot Pepper Jelly
An 8-ounce block scored, crusted with everything bagel seasoning, smoked for two hours, and crowned with hot pepper jelly while it's still warm.
Equipment
- Pellet Smoker Camp Chef and Traeger are both workhorses — whatever holds 225°F
- Sharp Knife for the scoring — clean cuts, not torn
- Small Foil Tray or Mini Cast Iron the cheese softens, you want sides
Ingredients
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese - 1 block — Philly or off-brand both work, the smoker does the heavy lifting. Don't use whipped or low-fat; they puddle.
- 1 teaspoon smoked garlic oil - or olive oil — just enough to glue the seasoning on
- 2 tablespoons jalapeño everything bagel seasoning - plain everything bagel seasoning works if that's what you've got
- ½ cup hot pepper jelly - the whole point — sweet, vinegary, spicy
- hot honey - optional — a drizzle on top if you want a second heat layer
Instructions
- Get the smoker to 225°F. I use a hickory blend. Apple or pecan also work great. Skip mesquite — it'll bury the cheese.
- Score the top of the cream cheese in a tight crosshatch with a sharp knife. A quarter inch deep is the goal. This is where the smoke gets in — without scoring you're just seasoning the outside of a foil-wrapped puck.
- A thin coat. Olive oil, or my smoked garlic oil if you've got it. The oil is the glue.
- Dust the top generously with everything bagel seasoning and press it down so it stays put. Don't be shy — the crust is half the appeal.
- Set the block on a small foil tray, mini cast iron, or a homemade foil boat — anything with sides, since it'll soften and weep a little. Smoke for 2 hours at 225°F. You're looking for a deep golden crust, a soft-but-still-holding-shape texture, and a real smoky aroma when you crack the lid.
- Pull it off, spoon hot pepper jelly over the top while it's still warm, and serve with crackers. Don't be precious. Just go.
Notes
Serve it fast. Smoked cream cheese is at its absolute best in the first hour, when the crust is set and the center is soft and warm. Make it as close to serving as you can.
Leftovers go in an airtight container in the fridge, 3 to 4 days max. The jelly weeps a little — stir it back in, or scrape and re-top with a fresh spoonful before serving.
Don't freeze it. Cream cheese turns grainy and watery once thawed. There's nothing to save by saving it.
To bring leftovers back warm: 20 minutes on the counter, or 10 minutes uncovered at 300°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 182mgPotassium: 45mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 322IUCalcium: 36mg
Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated from the listed ingredients, and provided as a courtesy.
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