This smoked cream cheese with apple cinnamon is the ultimate cream cheese dessert recipe! This dip is very easy to make and is sure to vanish fast at your holiday party or any other gathering! Let’s dig into the process.
The Ingredients
- Cream cheese
- Apple pie filling
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Salt (optional)
Why Cream Cheese in Desserts?
Cream cheese is often used in desserts due to its unique flavor, creamy texture, and appearance. Adding a hint of cherry wood smoke adds another element of flavor!
Smoking Cream Cheese
To begin, preheat your grill to 250 degrees with cherry wood over indirect heat. While the grill is preheating, take out two 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese and place on a greased cookie sheet. I prefer to use the premium brands of cream cheese as the quality makes a difference in the taste. If you would like a savory smoked cream cheese dip, follow this recipe.
Score the top of the cream cheese with 1/4 inch cuts that are an inch apart in a diagonal direction. Cut diagonally the other direction to make hash marks. We do this to get more smoke flavor into the cream cheese.
Season the cream cheese with a blend of sugar and cinnamon. I like to make this mix in a small bowl by doing four parts sugar and one part cinnamon. Mix together and sprinkle on top of cream cheese. Place the cream cheese on the grill and smoke for 90 minutes.
Tip: line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Adding that Apple Cinnamon Flavor
Take a 28 ounce can of apple pie filling and pour it onto a cutting board. With a knife, take the apple slices and cut them into fourths. We do this to get more apple bits with each dipping into the smoked cream cheese dessert.
Do a light sprinkle of cinnamon on your apple pie filling to enhance the flavor. When done, place the filling in a medium sized bowl and pour evenly over the two bricks of smoked cream cheese while they are on the grill. Close the lid and smoke for another 30 minutes to get the apple cinnamon dessert warm.
If you prefer to make an apple pie filling of your own, then by all means do it! I have a recipe for that here. Doing the canned version saves time and is more convenient.
Easy Icing Recipe for the BBQ Dessert
The final step in the smoked cream cheese dessert recipe is to make the icing. This is simply done by combining one cup of confectioner’s sugar, two tablespoons of milk, and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir with a small whisk until ingredients are well mixed together.
Drizzle the icing over the apple cinnamon smoked cream cheese and serve immediately. This recipe is best while it is warm.
Tip: for thicker icing, add more confectioner’s sugar. For thinner icing, add more milk. Also, add a pinch of salt for balance.
What to Serve with this Cream Cheese Dessert
This dessert dip goes great with baked bread slices such as crostini and bagel chips. Feel free to venture out and dip with fruits such as strawberries and …more apples!
Can this Dip be Served Cold?
While it is possible to eat this dip chilled, the cream cheese firms up and will be tougher to eat as a dip. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until soft.
Other Dips and Desserts
Smoked Cream Cheese with Apple Cinnamon
This smoked cream cheese with apple cinnamon is the ultimate cream cheese dessert recipe! This dip is very easy to make and is sure to vanish fast at your holiday party or any other gathering!
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese
- 1 28 oz. can of apple pie filling
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For Icing
- 1 Cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 250 degrees with cherry wood over indirect heat.
- Place the two, 8 oz. cream cheese bricks on a greased cookie sheet. Score bricks of cream cheese with diagonal, 1/4 inch deep cuts that are one inch apart. Repeat process in opposite direction to create hash marks.
- Season with sugar and ground cinnamon. Place on grill and smoke for 90 minutes.
- Empty can of apple pie filling onto cutting board, cutting the slices of apples into smallier pieces. Scoop into bowl and spread evenly on both bricks of cream cheese. Cook for another 30 minutes then remove.
- To make icing, combine confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Use whisk to mix until smooth. Drizzle over the apple cinnamon smoked cream cheese as desired.
Notes
- Use premium brands of cream cheese for better flavor. While I use generic brands for some ingredients, cream cheese is one that is worth paying for name brands.
- For icing, add a pinch of salt if you want it to be less sweet.
- Make your own apple pie filling by following a recipe I have for cast iron apple crisp.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 2 TbspAmount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
Note: Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
