Raise your hand if you love bagels and cream cheese but are pretty sick of all the standard cream cheese varieties! I see you all out there. Sure, you can buy mix-in cream cheese at many stores these days but you won’t find anything out there like this Loaded Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese!

Over the years, I’ve really expanded my cream cheese spreads to include a bunch that you just will never find in any store. (Unless they read Macheesmo, of course). This Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese version though, just may be my favorite so far. It’s packed with pretty much all of my big flavor add-ins and is delicious on any savory bagel.

The next time you are grabbing a dozen bagels for work or a casual brunch, skip their pre-packed tubs of cream cheese and make this sucker. It can make a decent bagel excellent and an excellent bagel Whooooaaaa.

  • Updated March 2, 2019 to add some new photos and improve directions!

Loaded Cream Cheese

4 from 65 votes
Author: Nick Evans
Servings: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
A delicious cream cheese spread that you can’t find in stores. Loaded with favorites like cheddar, bacon, scallion, and sun-dried tomato. Make your next bagel even better!

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 8 ounces bacon, crispy
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
  • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
  • 4 scallions, diced
  • Salt and pepper
  • Bagels for eating

Instructions

  • Cook bacon until crispy either on a skillet over medium-low heat or bake it in a 375 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes. Once bacon is crispy, let drain and cool on a few paper towels and then chop.
  • In a medium bowl, mash together cream cheese, chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Serve cream cheese in big smears on bagels.
  • Leftover cream cheese will keep well in the fridge in an air tight container for a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Breakfast & Brunch, Pantry Staples
Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crunchtimekitchen

Loaded Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese Spread

Crispy bacon adds huge flavor to this recipe. Basically anytime you see the word “loaded” on macheesmo, you’ll find bacon. That said, I actually think this cream cheese spread would be very delicious and still unique if you left it out. It’s not essential, but if you’re going to do it, do it right. I recommend baking strips (not thick cut) until they are nice and crispy.

Bacon cooked - Bacon Cream Cheese
Bacon time

Drain those and let them cool on a few paper towels and then stir them together with all the other add-ins. Try to chop/mince everything so it’s roughly the same size. My favorite ingredient is actually the sun-dried tomatoes I think.

Add-ins - Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese
The good stuff.

Stir this all together with the softened cream cheese. There actually ends up being more add-ins than cream cheese which is the way I like it!

How to Make Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese
All mixed up.

Smear it on thick, people.

If you have some extra cheddar bacon cream cheese, it’ll keep well in the fridge for a week or so. It also goes great on toast believe it or not!

Loaded Cheddar Bacon Cream Cheese
Smear me.

Here are a few other great cream cheese spreads!