If you have TikTok, you may have seen the smoked cream cheese trend going around. What made it appealing to me was the use of pepper jelly on top! I immediately added it to the top of my list of recipes to try but decided to give it a different execution: popping it in the oven instead of a smoker.

First things first: preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, prepare your cream cheese. I used a cast iron skillet for mine, but a regular baking pan will do just fine as well (make sure to spray with non-stick cooking spray!). Lay your cream cheese in the center of the pan and make ½ cross hatches on top of it.

After scoring your cheese, season with your heart with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. As far as seasonings go, I listed the ones that I used, but feel free to omit or add whatever you like here! Some popular suggestions are barbecue rub, everything bagel seasoning, and even taco seasoning. The fun thing about recipes is that they can be made into your own, so have fun with whatever flavors you’d like!

Next, stick the cheese in the oven for about 30 minutes. 350 for 30 minutes allows it to get soft without melting.  I experimented with other degrees and times but found that the cheese would get too crispy and stick to the bottom of the pan, or not warm enough to be dippable. (Tip: you’ll know the cheese is done when the scoring starts to spread out, the top gets a light toasty color, and there’s sizzling around the bottom).

After thirty minutes, pull the cream cheese out and top with whatever Lauri Jo’s product you want! Southern Pecan Jalapeno is my absolute favorite (I put it on literally everything), but you could use whatever you prefer! Some of our customers suggested Honey Bacon Horseradish Pepper Jelly, Classic Red or Green Pepper Jelly, and even Candied Jalapenos! After adding the jelly, place back in the oven under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes until the jelly is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy with crackers or chips!

“Smoked” Cream Cheese Ingredients:

• 1 block of cream cheese
• Garlic powder
• Salt & Pepper
• Crackers or chips for dipping
• Lauri Jo’s Pepper Jelly of your choice (I used Southern Pecan Jalapeno)