Baked Cream Cheese And Crackers Recipe
Make Baked Cream Cheese And Crackers Recipe in just 50m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Cream Cheese Filling
Cracker Topping & Finish
Method
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1
Prepare and soften cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes so it softens. Alternatively, cut into cubes to speed softening.
- 2
Whip filling
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy (about 1–2 minutes). Add the sour cream and continue beating until fully incorporated and silky.
- 3
Season and bind
Mix in the granulated sugar, garlic powder, lemon zest (if using), salt, and black pepper until evenly distributed. Add the finely chopped chives and mix briefly. Beat in the large egg until the filling is uniform and a little light — the egg helps set the filling while baking.
- 4
Transfer to baking dish
Spread the cream cheese mixture into a shallow 8-inch or similar baking dish (an 8x6 or small gratin dish works well), smoothing the top with a spatula to an even layer about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
Cracker Topping & Bake
- 5
Prepare cracker crumb topping
Place the saltine crackers in a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs (about 2 cups). Transfer crumbs to a small bowl and stir in the melted butter until all crumbs are moistened and hold together when pressed. If using grated cheddar, stir half of it into the crumbs and reserve the rest for finishing.
- 6
Top the filling
Evenly sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs over the surface of the cream cheese filling, pressing gently so the crumbs make contact with the filling but do not sink in completely. Sprinkle the reserved grated cheddar over the crumb layer if using.
- 7
Bake
Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–25 minutes, until the edges of the filling are set and the topping is golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
- 8
Cool and garnish
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes to firm up. Sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature with extra crackers alongside for scooping.
