Homemade flavored cream cheese takes a block of cream cheese, a few mix-ins, and about 10 minutes. We make scallion, smoked salmon, and veggie, the same kinds you'd find at a New York bagel shop, only fresher and loaded with more of the good stuff. Spread them on bagels, toast, or crackers.
Quick Look: Flavored Cream Cheese Recipes
- What it is: Three homemade bagel shop cream cheese spreads: scallion, smoked salmon, and veggie. Each one starts with a block of cream cheese and a few simple mix-ins.
- Why Make Your Own? You control what goes in. More salmon, more crunch, no gums or stabilizers, and a fresher taste than a store-bought tub.
- The Flavors: Scallion, smooth and oniony; Smoked Salmon, loaded with real lox; and Veggie, crunchy and colorful.
- Key Ingredient: Full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
- Total Time: 5 to 10 minutes per spread, with no cooking.
- Storage: Up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Pairs Well With: Toasted bagels, homemade bagel chips, crackers, cucumber rounds, or a bagel brunch.
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History of Cream Cheese
Cream cheese started in New York. In 1872, a dairyman in Chester, New York, named William A. Lawrence figured out how to make it on a larger scale. A few years later, it was branded Philadelphia Cream Cheese, the name it still goes by.
Flavored cream cheese came from New York's Jewish delis and bagel shops. They mixed scallions, smoked salmon, and chopped vegetables into plain cream cheese to go with bagels and lox.
Kraft later sold flavored spreads in little glass jars. Today you can buy a tub of almost any flavor, but homemade still tastes better.
Top Tips for Flavored Cream Cheese
- Soften first: Let the cream cheese sit out for about an hour so it's easy to mix.
- Chop small: Finely chop the vegetables, herbs, or smoked salmon by hand so you get a little in every bite. A food processor turns them to mush.
- Use fresh herbs: Fresh dill and chives have the most flavor. Dried works in a pinch.
- Chill before serving: 30 minutes in the fridge lets the flavors blend.
- Choose quality cream cheese: Philadelphia is my go-to for the smoothest texture and cleanest flavor. Store brands work, but they can be a little less creamy.
- What about whipped cream cheese? You can use it, but it's lighter and softer. Block cream cheese holds up better with chunky mix-ins like smoked salmon and chopped vegetables.
Scallion Cream Cheese
Scallion cream cheese is smooth, tangy, and full of fresh green onion flavor. It's the classic New York bagel shop spread, and it takes just 2 ingredients and 5 minutes.
Keep it simple with scallions, or mix in chives for a version close to the Philadelphia chive and onion tub. The recipe also has spicy, bacon, garlic, and everything-seasoning variations.
Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese
Smoked salmon cream cheese is like a bagel and lox in one container. The salmon is already mixed in, so it's ready at a moment's notice. Just toast a bagel and spread. At home, you can load it up with as much good smoked salmon as you like.
Veggie Cream Cheese
Veggie cream cheese is a bagel shop classic full of crunch and color. Red bell pepper, scallions, carrot, and radish turn plain cream cheese into a fresh, colorful spread, with a little fresh dill if you like. It takes about 10 minutes, and a 30-minute chill lets the flavors blend.
If you like this, you'll also enjoy my Veggie Tuna Salad and Veggie Egg Salad.
What's a Schmear?
A schmear is a thick layer of cream cheese on a bagel. The word comes from the Yiddish for "smear" or "spread," related to the German schmieren. New Yorkers turned it into deli shorthand, so "a bagel with a schmear" means a bagel with cream cheese.
Make one or all three spreads on Sunday, and you'll have a schmear ready for bagels all week.
More Deli-Style Classic Recipes
We've recreated many of your favorite deli classics. Here are some of our favorites.
Smoked Fish in Florida
If you like smoked fish and appetizing flavors, there's a Florida delicacy worth trying called Smoked Fish Dip.
Smoking fish began as a way to extend shelf life, just like bagels and lox came from preserving salmon in Eastern Europe.
In Florida, people smoke wahoo, amberjack, and mahi mahi and blend them with mayo, cream cheese, celery, onions, and Old Bay seasoning.
Fish dip has been around for years and is a staple at bars, seafood shacks, and backyard parties statewide. It's usually served with crackers, tortilla chips, or fresh veggies on the side.
Flavored Cream Cheese FAQ
No. Cream cheese is already salted, and most mix-ins (like smoked salmon, olives, or capers) add extra salt. You won't miss it.
Yes. You can make flavored cream cheese a day or two ahead. In fact, the flavors get stronger after sitting overnight in the fridge.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.
Yes. Light or Neufchâtel cream cheese works. The texture will be a little softer and less rich.
Nova, short for Nova Scotia-style smoked salmon, is cured and lightly smoked, giving it a milder, less salty flavor. Lox, often called belly lox in New York, is cured in a salty brine but not smoked, making it much saltier than Nova.
Yes. Cream cheese does contain a small amount of carbs, but it's naturally low compared to many spreads. A two-tablespoon serving has about 1-2 grams of carbs. Even with add-ins like scallions, smoked salmon, or vegetables, flavored cream cheese stays a good option if you're watching carbs.
Michael says
Making today! Love these combos.