This homemade chive cream cheese is ready in just 5 minutes and so much tastier than anything you’ll find at the store! Mix up a batch to schmear on bagels or sandwiches, or as a dip for crackers and veggies.
To me, there’s nothing more satisfying than sinking your teeth into a soft, chewy bagel topped with a luscious cream cheese schmear. So here’s a fun way to enjoy try this homemade chive cream cheese!
This recipe brings the intense freshness of this bright green herb to the forefront, pairing it with garlic and onion for a super savory spread. I love it for lunches throughout the week, or it’s so much fun to use as on a bagel brunch board for a party. Here’s what to do!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 5 minutes with just a few simple ingredients
- Fresh, vibrant flavor: using real chives brings a flavor store-bought can’t match
- So versatile: use it on bagels, sandwiches, dips, and more
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
What does chive cream cheese taste like? The flavor is savory, tangy, and mildly oniony. The garlic and onion powder intensify the flavor but don’t overpower it. To me it tastes creamy and rich, like a really good New York deli spread, but made in your own kitchen. Here’s what goes into this recipe:
- Cream cheese: Full-fat works best for flavor and creamy texture, but reduced-fat works in a pinch.
- Fresh chives: The star! Find them in the refrigerated herb section or grab them from your garden or herb pot.
- Onion powder and garlic powder: Adds savory depth.
- Greek yogurt or milk (optional): If your cream cheese is stiff, a tablespoon of Greek yogurt or half a tablespoon of milk loosens it up.
How to Make Chive Cream Cheese
Chive cream cheese is fast and easy to make at home: and so much tastier than the store-bought kind! Purchased cream cheese can have a vaguely artificial aftertaste. But make it at home and it’s beautifully fresh and savory! Here are a few tips for whipping up a batch (or jump to the recipe below):
- Step 1: Soften the cream cheese. This is important for getting the correct fluffy texture. Leave it out at room temperature for an hour, or zap a few minutes in a microwave.
- Step 2: Chop the chives finely. Fresh chives are easy to find in the refrigerated section of the grocery, and if it’s the right season it’s even better to grow them at home! See How to Grow Herbs.
- Step 3: Mix with seasonings, adding a bit of Greek yogurt or milk to soften if desired. If the cream cheese is very thick, add 1 tablespoon Greek or plain yogurt or ½ tablespoon milk as you’re mixing it. It should come together into a soft and tasty spread!
Variation: Whipped Chive Cream Cheese
If you like, you can make whipped cream cheese first for this recipe! Whipped cream cheese has an airy, light texture that’s even more spreadable than the standard. All you have to do? Mix the cheese with ½ tablespoon milk in a food processor or stand mixer, stopping and scraping as necessary. You can also simply use a whisk if you prefer! Go to Whipped Cream Cheese.
Ways to Use Chive Cream Cheese
This chive cream cheese is fantastic as a bagel schmear: but there are so many more ways to use it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Bagels, or as part of a bagel brunch spread with cream cheese flavors like Herb, Whipped, Strawberry, Veggie or Cinnamon
- As a sandwich spread, like a Smoked Salmon Sandwich or Fried Egg Sandwich
- As a dip for pretzels, crackers or chips (this is especially good with whipped cream cheese) or carrots, celery, broccoli, bell pepper, or kohlrabi sticks
- On toast: Spread it on thick-cut sourdough bread or whole grain toast topped with sliced cucumbers or radishes.
Storage Instructions
Store this chive cream cheese in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Give it a stir before serving.
I don’t recommend freezing cream cheese, though you can do it: it just has more of a crumbly texture when frozen. See my guide to How to Freeze Cream Cheese.
Dietary Notes
This chive cream cheese recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Chive Cream Cheese
Pin RecipeThis homemade chive cream cheese is ready in just 5 minutes and so much tastier than anything you’ll find at the store! Mix up a batch to schmear on bagels or sandwiches, or as a dip for crackers and veggies.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup (8 2 tablespoon servings) 1x
- Category: Spread
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Spread
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt or ½ tablespoon milk, to soften (optional)
Instructions
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened. Leave it out at room temperature for 1 hour, or place it on a plate in the microwave, cook 5 seconds, flip over the block of cheese and cook another 5 seconds. (If it’s not room temperature at this point, cook another few seconds, but air on the conservative side.)
- Chop the chives. Mix everything together in a bowl, adding a little Greek yogurt, milk or sour cream 1 tablespoon at a time if you’d like a fluffier, more spreadable texture (we used 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt). Store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- Whipped alternative: Make whipped cream cheese by adding ½ tablespoon milk and whipping the cream cheese in a food processor or stand mixer. Then add the chopped herbs and pulse until combined.
More Recipes with Chives
During the summer, we always have a big pot of chives growing in our garden! They’re very easy to grow and much cheaper than buying them at the store. Here are a few more recipes to try:
- Try these 10 Chives Recipes to Try
- Go for simple Eggs with Chives
- Mix up Roasted Baby Potatoes with Chive Oil
- Add them into Ranch Dip with Chives
- Make Savory Waffles with Chives & Cheddar
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/pwzvANZ
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