This smoky Chipotle and Adobo Cream Cheese Schmear Recipe is creamy, smoky, and slightly spicy. The chipotle peppers and smoked paprika both add a deep, smoky flavor. The adobo sauce adds a touch of heat. The cream cheese helps to balance out the flavors and makes the schmear smooth and creamy.
This Chipotle and Adobo Schmear a perfect offering to serve at a breakfast or brunch party because it's unique and SO EASY to make.
Serve this with freshly toasted bagels alongside a scrumptious brunch spread.
If you want to dress things up and give your guests ways to customize this a bit more, you can also set out the following garnishes:
- Chopped cilantro
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh jalapenos
- Pickled jalapenos
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Why You'll Love This:
- It’s easy to prepare (it comes together in 5 minutes). It deepens in flavor the longer you let it chill.
- This is great to make ahead, which will save you precious time when it comes to preparing for guests.
- Because you can’t find this flavor profile and combo in stores, it means it’s instantly interesting and can be a great conversation starter. Especially if you tie in some food trivia about the ingredients.
- The smoky flavor from the smoked paprika adds a nice depth to the schmear - without adding extra spice. Check out the FAQ section for cool facts about paprika.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients (the two main ingredients are pictured below), plus some spices, to make the Chipotle and Adobo Schmear.
- Cream cheese - any brand or variety will work. This is your base, so I recommend getting a brand you already know and love.
- Chipotles in adobo sauce - I used the La Costena brand, which you can usually find in the Mexican food aisle at most grocery stores. It doesn't say "in adobo sauce" on the front, but if you look at the ingredient list, you'll see that it's diced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. This is a Mexican adobo sauce, by the way. Check out the FAQ section for some interesting information about adobo sauce.
- Spices (not pictured) - I recommend using garlic and onion powder because they add flavor, but not texture, ensuring the schmear has a a creamy texture and remains spreadable. And smoked paprika is KEY in this recipe.
- Optional - If you want a more spicy flavor, you could add a small amount of cayenne pepper. Another way to add different type of spicy goodness is to use half a clove of garlic, zested on a zester. (NOTE - Why use a zester for the garlic? Because crushed or chopped garlic will leave huge chunks of garlic that will overpower the other flavors. A small amount of zested garlic will be evenly distributed and give the schmear an extra kick.)
Please see the recipe card for full quantities!
Instructions
Step 1: Soften the cream cheese.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes.
Step 3: Mix well and chill overnight for best results.
Step 4: Just before serving, top with garnishes of additional chipotles in adobo sauce and chopped cilantro.
Dump everything into a bowl and mix. Yes, it really is that easy.
HELPFUL HINTS:
Make sure the cream cheese is softened. You can either bring it up to room temperature by letting it sit out. OR you can microwave it in 5-7 second intervals until it's soft. See the FAQ section about how to soften cream cheese the right way.
Substitutions
Because this has only a few simple ingredients, I don’t have much to offer here. If you are in a pinch, you can use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika.
Variations
If you are dairy free, or cooking for someone who is dairy free, you can swap a dairy free cream cheese (or cream cheese alternative). If you want a vegan version use your preferred brand of vegan cream cheese.
Storage
Make sure the Chipotle and Adobo Schmear is in an airtight container before placing in the fridge to chill overnight. It will protect the flavors of your schmear. If you have leftovers, same deal. Make sure they're in an airtight container.
Store for 5-7 days, sealed
Top tip
Because of the wait/chill time, I strongly recommend making the Chipotle and Adobo Cream Cheese Schmear ahead of time. If you're making a variety of schmears for a brunch party, you can make this chipotle based one up to a week in advance of when you’ll need it. Just keep it in the fridge and in an airtight container.
FAQ
Nope! A food processor is overkill for this.
Schmear refers to a flavored, cream cheese-based spread, typically for bagels. Schmears can be sweet or savory, and are typically more spreadable than a traditional block of cream cheese.
Unwrap the cream cheese and place it on a microwave proof plate. Microwave for 5-7 seconds. Flip it over onto it's other side, and microwave for an additional 5-7 seconds. Repeat this 2-3 more times until it is softened, but not warm. If you microwave it for longer intervals you run the risk of heating the cream cheese and getting spots that are essentially melted. Those hot spots also tend to explode in the microwave leaving you with an oily mess to clean up. I am, unfortunately, speaking from experience.
It will be better if you do, but if you're pressed for time, this is one that works well if being made and served immediately.
YES! And you can easily double it if you need a to make a larger quantity.
If you bought a jar of chipotles in adobo sauce just for this, and you're wondering what else you can make with the leftover chipotles, there are several great ways to use it. Here are a few recommendations: mix a spoonful of chipotles with some mayo for a chipotle mayo sauce; you can also add a few spoonful's of the chipotles into sour cream or Mexican crema, add some lime juice, a little bit of garlic powder or fresh garlic, and use it on top of tacos or nachos. One of my favorite ways to dress up barbecue sauce is to add a spoonful of these chipotle chilies and a squeeze of honey.
Adobo sauce is considered a marinade or sauce which is composed of oil, vinegar, peppers, and spices or herbs. The specific types of oil, vinegar, pepper, and spices or herbs vary wildly based on the region of the world. Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines all have their own version of this sauce, which vary significantly from another.
This schmear recipe, and most recipes on my site, uses the Mexican variety of jarred chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Generally speaking, paprika is "dried and ground red pepper." But the term "red pepper" doesn't actually tell us much about what type of specific pepper is being used or the heat level of those peppers. Internationally there are about 8 different types of paprika readily available, all with different characteristics. They range from mild and floral, to pungent and tangy, to rich and spicy - depending on what specific pepper has been used.
However, in America, most paprika you can buy is from dried and ground red bell peppers or something equally mild.
If you buy something labeled "paprika" it's just a dried and ground red pepper. Buying something labeled "smoked paprika" means it has been made from a red pepper that has been smoked and then ground, or smoke flavor has been added at some point in the process.
However, if you are unsure about what you have, just smell it. Smoked paprika will smell like a campfire. Regular paprika will smell sweet, with no smoky flavor.
Related
Looking for other great recipes or ideas like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Chipotle and Adobo Schmear Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 3 Tablespoon Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce divided
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder or granulated onion
- Fresh Cilantro optional
Instructions
- Mix the softened cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon chipotle chilies, and spices in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Chill overnight (see note).
- To serve, garnish with remaining two tablespoons of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce and freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.
Rachel
This was perfect for our bagel bar! I let it rest overnight and I'm glad I did because the flavor was much better.
Susan @ The James Street Home
Great! So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing!