Garlic Cream Cheese Spread (Printable)

Smooth cream cheese blend with roasted garlic, ideal for bagels, toast, and snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/4 cup sour cream

→ Garlic

03 - 1 large head garlic

→ Seasonings & Add-ins

04 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ For Roasting Garlic

07 - 1 teaspoon olive oil

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
02 - Roast garlic for 35 to 40 minutes until cloves are soft and caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling.
03 - Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork until completely smooth.
04 - Add softened cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the mashed garlic. Whip with a hand mixer or vigorously by hand until the mixture is smooth, light, and fluffy.
05 - Fold in fresh chives. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired with additional salt and pepper.
06 - Transfer to a serving bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, or serve immediately at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic melts into the cream cheese so completely that even garlic skeptics become instant fans.
  • It's ready in under an hour and transforms basic ingredients into something that tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • Works as a spread, a dip, or stirred into hot pasta—it's the definition of kitchen flexibility.
02 -
  • Room-temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable—cold cream cheese will fight you and create grainy pockets instead of that silky spread.
  • Don't skip the chilling step if you can help it; those 30 minutes transform it from good to genuinely special as the flavors get to know each other.
03 -
  • If your cream cheese is still cold when you need it, cut it into chunks and let it sit while the garlic roasts—those few extra minutes make whipping infinitely easier.
  • The spread keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so make it ahead for entertaining and let it come to room temperature before serving so the flavors taste their best.
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