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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.
This versatile spread can be used in various ways!
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.
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.
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!
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Jenn
May 3, 2024
I just made this the other day and it’s delicious!!! The flavors blend so well and I love the green color it makes. I also love the note Amanda makes about adjusting the spices! I’ll be continuing to make this every time it disappears!
Amanda Paa
May 4, 2024
Yay, so glad to hear that!
Tracy
January 13, 2024
Amanda, THIS RECIPE LOOKS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING- MY HUSBAND AND I ARE SO EXCITED TO TRY- OUR NEIGHBOR- ( MY FRIEND) GAVE IT 5* – PLUS PLUS! – MY HUSBAND AND I ARE JUST NOT HUGE FANS OF PARMESAN- DO YOU HAVE ANY POSSIBLE OTHER CHEESE SUBSTITUTIONS THAT WILL WORK IN ITS PLACE?? – WE ARE PRAY SO…
Amanda Paa
January 13, 2024
Hi Tracy! I’m so glad your neighbor enjoyed the recipe! You could use finely shredded gruyere cheese instead if you wanted to mimic the umami of Parmesan. Or, you could do a sharp cheddar if that is what you’d prefer.
Tracy
January 13, 2024
That IS THE MOST AMAZING NEWS! I LIVE BY ONE THE MOST FANTASTIC ORGANIC ” CHEESE / DAIRY PRODUCERS – AND THEY SELL THE MOST WONDERFUL ” SHARP CHEDDERS ” ( IN WAX) EVER! I WILL BE FOLLOWING YOU AND PASSING THE WORD- THE SAME AS MY NEIGHBOR DID FOR ME… WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSE TIME!