Cheesecake to Chili: 11 Cream Cheese Recipes That Are Easy and Delicious

cream cheese recipes cover
iStock / Cheapism

Recipes with Cream Cheese That Are a Breeze

Cream cheese isn't just for bagels. This versatile ingredient can add a creamy, tangy twist to a variety of dishes, from savory dinners to sweet desserts. There's a whole world of easy cream cheese recipes to explore, and the ones below are a great way to get you started.

Baked Cheese - Melted cheese dip served with tortilla chips.
Paul_Brighton/istockphoto

1. Cheese Dip

Who doesn't like cheese dip? Cream cheese makes complete sense here and this dip is basically just throwing a bunch of ingredients together and pushing "go," which is our kind of recipe.

Recipe: Easy Recipes

Related: Old-Fashioned Dips That Are Surprisingly Delicious

Homemade Chicken Chili with White Beans and Corn
rudisill/istockphoto

2. Southwest Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is the ideal addition to soup or chili if you want to achieve a creamy texture. This chili is exploding with flavor thanks to the green chiles, ranch seasoning, cumin, and chili powder, and the cream cheese is the bridge that connects all of the bold flavors.

Recipe: Pitchfork Foodie Farms

Classical Cheesecake On Plate Closeup View. New York Cheesecake
Arx0nt/istockphoto

3. Classic Philadelphia Cheesecake Recipe

There is no world in which we talk about cream cheese recipes that we don't mention cheesecake. This classic cheesecake recipe is tried, true, and pretty easy to put together too.

Recipe: State of Dinner


For more great recipes and grocery tips,
please sign up for our free newsletters.

Mexican wedding cookies
AnjelaGr/istockphoto

4. Cream Cheese Cookies

The ingredients for these cookies mimic those found in cream cheese frosting, which means the flavor and texture of these bad boys is next-level. The powdered sugar sprinkled on top is the chef's kiss.

Recipe: Simply Homecooked

Related: 10 Midwestern Dessert Recipes Perfect for Summer

Homemade Corn Pudding Casserole with Cheddar Cheese
bhofack2/istockphoto

5. Cream Cheese Corn Casserole

There are lots of C's and plenty of cheese in this recipe. The milk, cheese, and cream cheese deliver a decadent and creamy texture to this casserole. The pickled diced jalapeños give this dish an unexpected kick that we're all the way here for.

Recipe: Five Heart Home

Baked taquitos with chicken and cheese close-up on the table. horizontal
ALLEKO/istockphoto

6. Cream Cheese and Chicken Taquitos

Taquitos are elite, but sometimes the filling inside can dry out during the frying or baking process. Not with this recipe. The cream cheese keeps the texture inside moist and velvety.

Recipe: Delishtasty

Penne pasta with zucchini, cream cheese and herbs on a gray textured background, top view. Vegetarian food, homemade healthy food.
OlgaLepeshkina/istockphoto

7. Cream Cheese Pasta

Leave the jars in the sauce aisle at the grocery store on the shelf â€” you don't need 'em. This penne is brought to life with cream cheese, olive oil, spices, spinach, and corn. Simple flavors and simple prep. This is the ideal no-frills pasta dish.

Recipe: Green Bowl 2 Soul

Fresh and homemade baked blueberry muffins. Served hot in a baking pan on wooden background
Angelika Heine/istockphoto

8. Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

We love a good blueberry muffin and our biggest stipulation is that they have to be moist. The cream cheese in this recipe guarantees consistent moisture throughout. You could even do a stuffed muffin version with a little surprise cream cheese belly inside.

Recipe: Good for Recipes

Delicious chocolate brownie cheesecake on a gray concrete background. Copy space, selective focus
Irina Taskova/istockphoto

9. Cream Cheese Brownies

Cream cheese brownies are somewhat of a hybrid dessert. One bite gives you the experience of cheesecake and a fudgy brownie all at once which is probably the most perfect dessert combination ever in the history of the world.

Recipe: Small Town Woman

Related: 10 Gooey Dessert Recipes That Start With Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough

A high angle close up shot of a variety of danish pastry on an old pewter plater. Shot on a grungy old wooden table.
DebbiSmirnoff/istockphoto

10. Cream Cheese Danish Recipe with Crescent Rolls

Store-bought Danish is all good, well, and fine, and maybe you only opt for that because you think it's too complicated to make at home. This recipe makes things a lot easier since it uses canned crescent roll dough and cream cheese.

Recipe: Spaceships & Laser Beams

Strevell/istockphoto
Strevell/istockphoto

11. 3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Rotel Dip

Not to be dramatic, but this slow cooker dip is so delicious it's life-changing. The zestiness of the sausage and the mild bite of the Rotel are balanced by the creamy, tangy cream cheese. This stuff is incredible with tortilla chips.

Recipe: Crayons & Cravings

Related: Casserole Recipes That Don’t Require a Can of Soup

This article was originally published on Cheapism

cream cheese recipes cover
iStock / Cheapism

More From Cheapism

Advertisement