How to Make Cream Cheese Recipes: 10 Cheap & Delicious Cream Cheese Appetizers & Dessert Dip Recipes

Recipes using cream cheese are an easy way to add some wonderful, rich flavor to your appetizer recipes and dessert recipes without breaking the bank.   These cream cheese appetizer recipes and cream cheese dessert recipes illustrate just how easy it is to make recipes using cream cheese!

I don’t know for sure if it is old age, busy schedule or lack of time that makes inexpensive and quick take-along recipes so appealing to me, but does it really matter? Not only are these appetizer dips easy and inexpensive, they all receive rave reviews when I bring them along. Each one requires a brick of cream cheese — I use Philly or whatever is on sale. Sometimes I have gotten them two for $1, then of course I use a coupon and buy in advance. I have been known to bring two of these recipes to one event.

1. Crab, my favorite — Take one brick of cream cheese and place on a luncheon size plate. Top with one can of white meat crab — separated with a fork so it spreads nicely.  Top the crab with one small jar of cocktail sauce. Serve with either Ritz crackers or Triscuits. 5 minute preparation. Cost: $6.
    
2. Spicy Jam, my second favorite — Take on brick of cream cheese and place on a luncheon size plate.  Top with one jar of cherry jalapeño jelly.  Serve with Ritz crackers.  Also good with the new half Ritz/half pretzel crackers.   I use the HOT variety of jelly with this. 5 minute prep time. Cost: under $5.
    
3. Mexican Flair — Take one brick of cream cheese, place in a glass serving bowl, soup size is good.  Top cheese with one jar of Taco Bell Brand Salsa (I have used generic or sale brand and results are still good).  Spread on tortilla slices, Ritz crackers, also good with carrots or celery sticks or sturdy tortilla chips.  5 Minute prep time. Cost: under $5.
    
4. Shrimp Delight — Take one brick of cream cheese and place in glass serving or soup bowl.  Take one 8 ounce cold can (or 8 ounces of frozen) tiny drained shrimp.  One jar of cocktail sauce. Spoon shrimp into cocktail sauce and pour chilled mixture over cheese.   Serve with triscuits. 5 minute prep time. Cost: under $5.
    
5. Serve with Lamb — One brick of cream cheese, place in glass bowl or on plate.  Top with one jar of mint jelly.   Serve with crackers, best appreciated with lamb as a main course.   Prep time under 5 minutes. Cost: under $5.
    
6. Quick Dessert Idea — One brick of cream cheese, place on plate.  Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.  Pour one can of cherry pie filling onto cheese.  Serve after dinner spread on thin butter cookies for a quick, inexpensive taste of dessert.  Prep time under 5 minutes. Cost: under $5.
    
7. Key Lime Dessert — A similar idea to #6 above, but switch out the cherry pie filling with key lime pie filling.   Also served on thin butter cookies, this is a great follow up to a summer meal when you only have room for a bite of dessert. Prep time under 5 minutes. Cost: under $5.
    
8. Artichokes á la Crème — One brick of cream cheese placed on dessert plate.   Top with following mixture:  One can of drained, chopped artichoke hearts, ¼ cup chopped onion, ¼ tsp celery salt, 1 cup mayo, ½ package of dry Italian dressing (Good Seasons, etc.), 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, ½ cup breadcrumbs.  Mix together everything except the cream cheese.  Top brick of cheese with artichoke mixture (serve mixture on cheese either chilled or warm).  Serve with Triscuits or Ritz.
    
9. Lox n’ Cheese Brunch — One block of softened cream cheese, ½ to1 pound of thinly sliced lox, ½ cup chopped onion.  Place softened cheese on dinner plate.   Slice lox very thin into strips.  Pour diced onions over cheese and top with slices of lox.  Use sharp knife to cut cheese block into thin slices.  Serve with tiny bagels as a brunch offering.  Under 5 minute prep time. Cost: $5-$8, depending on how much lox you purchase.
    
10. Ginger Cream Cheese Dip for Fruit — This is a “mix together” delight.  Take one brick of softened cream cheese and place in a small mixing bowl. Mix with one pint of marshmallow crème (8 ounces) with 1/8th teaspoon of ground ginger. Pat cream cheese mixture into a ball and place in the center of a serving plate.  Surround with pieces of fruit on toothpicks, such as pineapple, cherries, apple slices, kiwi, etc.  Dip fruit into ginger cream cheese for a WONDERFUL ending to your meal.  Under ten minutes prep time, $5-$8 cost depending upon fruits you choose.