If you grew up in the 90’s, you know that bagels had a MOMENT. It was a time when bagel shops were popping up everywhere, bringing the carby goodness outside of New York and into middle America. I remember when our small town grocery store bakery first started making them, and my first trip to the elusive Einstein Bagels.
For the last few weeks I’ve been working on my sourdough bagel recipe (coming soon!), which led me to making a few homemade cream cheeses, too.
This quick and easy Jalapeno Cream Cheese has been our absolute favorite. It’s slightly spicy, rich, and creamy. Extra flavor comes from parmesan cheese and garlic powder, which goes so well with the distinctive peppery notes of jalapenos. To finish, a splash of fresh lemon juice brightens it all.
Thickly spread on a warm toasted bagel, it’s a dream combination! Perfect for those of us who love spice, chewy and cheesy-ness.
5 Simple Ingredients for this Recipe:
- cream cheese
- jalapeno
- shredded parmesan cheese
- garlic powder
- fresh lemon juice
Best Ways to Eat Jalapeno Cream Cheese
This versatile spread can be used in various ways!
- on bagels
- it’s incredible on toasted dill pickle sourdough
- inside a melty sourdough grilled cheese
- an extra tasty condiment inside wraps or cold cut sandwiches
- as a pasta sauce when combined with hot pasta water
- baked and served as an appetizer with crackers
How to Make Homemade Jalapeno Cream Cheese
This recipe will take you five minutes maximum to make. Simply add your ingredients to a food processor and puree for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down sides, process for another 30 seconds, repeat once more. That’s it!
The result is the most delicious whipped cream cheese with a savory spiciness that goes so well with the mild, creaminess.
Adjusting the Spiciness:
Individual sensitivity to spiciness varies, so what might be mild for one person could be perceived as quite spicy for another. That’s why for this recipe, you’re going to first start by removing the seeds and inner membranes of the jalapeno, which is where the most spice resides. You’ll chop the green part only and blend that into the cream cheese first, then taste to see if you would like it spicier.
If so, I suggest add a little bit of the membrane and seeds, a LITTLE at a time, re-blending, and see if it’s the level you like. Also remember that the heat will increase slightly as the cream cheese sits in the fridge.
How long does the cream cheese last?
Store your jalapeno cream cheese in a covered container for up to 6 days in the refrigerator. The flavor gets even better as it sits!
More Jalapeno Recipes:
5-Minute Jalapeno Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the stem off of the jalapeno, then slice it in half vertically. Remove the inner white membrane and seeds, set those aside. Chop the jalapeno into small pieces. Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Add jalapeno and remaining ingredients to a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds, then stop and scrape down sides. Repeat that same sequence 2 more times, until cream cheese is well blended and fluffy, jalapenos well distributed.
- Taste and if you would like the cream cheese to be spicier, add a little bit of the membrane and a few seeds, then blend again. Taste again to assess. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 6 days.