Smoked Cream Cheese

Say what? Smoked Cream Cheese? You bet! Creamy, smoky, and PACKED with flavor, smoking cream cheese on your Traeger or pellet smoker is easy and delish! Perfect for gatherings, you can smoke several blocks at a time and nibble on something amazing! Hungry? Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you all my tips and tricks to make Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese turn out perfectly every time!

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Smoked Cream Cheese is more about technique than a specific recipe. The beauty of this easy Traeger recipe is that you can change up the flavors easily with whatever is in your spice cupboard!

People have been smoking cheese for years, but smoking cream cheese is a slightly different process. If cooked at the right temperature, it won’t melt into a puddle of goo. Read on to see just how to make Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese!

What You Need to Make Smoked Cream Cheese

• Traeger pellet smoker
• Hardwood pellets or your favorite pellets
• Disposable foil pan – see my notes below
• Philadelphia Cream Cheese – it’s important to use this brand. Generic brands won’t behave the same in the smoker
• Seasonings – look for low salt blends – see my notes below

How To Make Smoke cream Cheese on a Traeger

Scroll down for the full recipe card with step-by-step instructions.

Preheat your Traeger pellet smoker according to the manufacturer’s directions and set it to 225°F. Smoking low and slow allows the cream cheese to absorb flavor without melting.

Unwrap the cream cheese and sprinkle your seasoning onto a plate large enough to hold the block. Roll the cream cheese in the seasoning, coating all sides evenly.

Transfer the seasoned cream cheese to a disposable foil pan. Using a sharp paring knife, score the top in a crosshatch pattern, cutting just into the surface to help the smoke and seasoning penetrate.

Place the pan in the smoker and cook at 225°F for about 2 hours, until the cream cheese is soft and infused with smoke.

Remove from the smoker. Serve warm.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• Use the name brand Philadelphia cream cheese for this recipe for the very best results.
• Don’t use a salty spice blend or your cream cheese will be too salty to enjoy!
• This smoked cream cheese recipe can hold up to big flavors, so feel free to go as bold and spicy as you like!
• Share if you dare! Make lots because it’ll get gobbled up quickly!

What Seasonings To Use for Smoked Cream Cheese

In the picture above, I used a home-made Tex-Mex spice blend as well as an herby Green Goddess blend I had in the cupboard. The big takeaway with how to season your cream cheese is NOT to pick a blend that’s salty. So many rubs and blends are loaded with salt and this will then just become a huge salt bomb. Add salty crackers and watch your blood pressure go up.

However, if you use a salt-free or low-salt blend, your smoked cream cheese will turn out perfectly wonderful.

How To Serve Smoked Cream Cheese

Crackers are my first pick with this tasty smoked appetizer recipe, but I also love it with pita crisps, apple slices, and my kids love smearing it on toasted bagels for breakfast.