25 Tasty Cream Cheese Recipes

What to do with a block of cream cheese? Try this homemade Herb Cream Cheese recipe! It’s full of beautiful fresh flavor from bright green chives, dill and basil, punctuated by savory garlic. It’s absolutely worth making it at home, as it gives any appetizer tray, bagel, or sandwich a personal touch. 

Buttercream can move on over, because in our book there’s only one frosting that gets us excited: this cream cheese frosting recipe! There’s nothing better than a big slather of the stuff: fluffy, lusciously smooth, and tangy, with just the right amount of sweet to complement the savory undertones. Turns out, it’s beyond easy to make at home and loads tastier than store-bought.

Love a good sweet schmear on your bagel? Try this delightful homemade Strawberry Cream Cheese recipe! The flavor is so much tastier than the kind you can find at the store. It’s bright and fruity, with just the right light amount of sweetness. Use it for slathering bagels or toast, or even as a dip for strawberries. Or, it’s great as part of a spread of homemade cream cheeses for a bagel brunch.

This stuffed French toast recipe makes an irresistible start to any morning! The maple cream cheese filling is sweet and tangy, with a lusciously creamy body that’s the perfect contrast to the custard-soaked bread.

Want to add a bit of pizzazz to muffins, cakes and more? Try this easy Cream Cheese Glaze! Just 3 ingredients make a bit of kitchen magic, transforming in minutes into a thick, glossy glaze with a tangy sweet flavor. The glaze is endlessly versatile: try it on cakes, pound cakes, quick breads, muffins, cupcakes…and even donuts. 

Another way to use cream cheese in recipes: in dips! This creamy, irresistibly spiced taco dip comes together in minutes, and we can confidently say almost no one turns this one down. This one is even better than the standard: it’s got a quick homemade seasoning blend and a colorful mix of fresh toppings for the absolute best flavor.

What’s better than cream cheese on a bagel? Whipped cream cheese! This light, fluffy version of the common spread is even easier to spread on bagels and toast, with a rich, luxurious texture. You can buy it at the store, but you can also try it homemade! Make it at home and you can add fun seasonings to make different flavor variations. 

When it comes to a lazy weekend brunch or a deli-style lunch, cream cheese to the rescue! There’s nothing better than a great Smoked Salmon Bagel or lox. It’s a study in bold contrasts: homemade herbed cream cheese against smoky, buttery salmon, herbaceous dill against briny capers, and of course a fluffy, perfectly toasted bagel. 

One of the best finger food recipes made with cream cheese? A good pinwheels recipe! This one is full of Italian-style flavors: mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and a blend of spices. They look totally stunning on a platter.

Here's a fun way to use cream cheese: pumpkin cream cheese muffins! The moist cake is cozy-scented and just sweet enough, since after all it really is a muffin. Top that with a generous gooey mound of maple cream cheese, and each bite is like eating cheesecake and a muffin all at once. It’s really a bit of heaven in a muffin wrapper.

Here's a tasty way to use cream cheese: in Smoked Salmon Pasta! Imagine: chewy al dente pasta, bathed with a creamy sauce punctuated by bright lemon zest and herbaceous fresh dill. It’s hard not to be head over heels about this one! It’s extremely versatile: try it as an easy dinner, a fun brunch idea or picnic pasta salad.

Here’s a fun homemade spread for snacks or dipping: this Veggie Cream Cheese recipe! Make this spread with fresh vegetables and it tastes even more incredible than the store-bought variety. You can use it as a spread for bagels or bread, or as a dip for vegetable sticks! It’s a great idea for kids, and you can even freeze it for use in lunch boxes. 

Here’s a recipe that’s even more delicious than it sounds…these insanely tasty Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins! Imagine: a muffin with a tender crumb: just sweet enough and delightfully moist. Then add a strawberry cream cheese topping, that coats everything in sweet savory richness. 

Want a cream cheese recipe that’s easy and impressive? Try this spinach artichoke stuffed salmon recipe! A creamy, savory filling flavored like your favorite dip is the ideal contrast to flaky, tender salmon.

Need a fun party dip? Let us introduce you to this Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Dip recipe! This creamy dip has a bit of a retro vibe, which makes it all the more endearing. It's chock full of rich flavor: hearty cream cheese, punchy Dijon, and that intensely smoky flavor that only fresh smoked salmon brings.

What’s better than the tangy, sweet flavor of blueberry cream cheese? This fruity spread is deliciously satisfying on a doughy bagel or a piece of toast. Did you know it’s simple to whip up a batch of homemade fruity cream cheese, and it tastes exponentially better than store-bought? You can make your own using fresh or frozen berries, or a shortcut version using blueberry jam. Here’s how to do it!

Perhaps the most popular cream cheese recipe of all time? Cheesecake! This New York Cheesecake is creamy, rich, dense, and indulgent. Top it with a fresh strawberry compote, or leave it bare and simple. via Immaculate Bites

Try adding cream cheese to your mashed potatoes for the ultimate creamy puree! This classic comfort food gets even more flavor with roasted garlic and cream cheese. Top with some chives for the ultimate soul-satisfying food. via Immaculate Bites

Turn cream cheese into an appetizer with these Smoked Salmon Bites! Combine cucumber, cream cheese and smoked salmon into easy-to-eat finger food. They're no bake and elegant. via Immaculate Bites

This Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe is tender, moist and rich, with a hint of nutmeg glazed with a mint-lime syrup. It's a tasty and easy way to use cream cheese! via Immaculate Bites

Turn cream cheese into an appetizer with this cream cheese dip recipe! If you’re looking for a quick party platter to serve for any occasion any time of year, this dip is ideal. It’s made with only 4 ingredients and served with any seasonal fruits of your choice. via Feel Good Foodie

Another dip recipe you can make with cream cheese? Cream cheese spinach dip! It's It's made with cream cheese and Greek yogurt so it’s lighter in fat and calories that traditional spinach dip. But it’s still creamy, cheesy and delicious! via Feel Good Foodie

Packed with chocolatey goodness four times over, this Chocolate Cheesecake is a chocolate lover’s fantasy! This recipe features a chocolate graham crust, a fudgy cheesecake filling and both a white and regular chocolate glaze. via Grandbaby Cakes

Here's a tasty, decadent cream cheese dessert recipe: Cheesecake Cookie Dough Truffles!  Imagine: a chocolate chip cookie dough and cheesecake filling stuffed inside a chocolate shell. What could be better? via Grandbaby Cakes

Last up in these cream cheese recipe ideas: ice cream! This tasty and refreshing Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe filled with the amazing flavors of cheesecake and fresh, juicy strawberries. via Grandbaby Cakes