6 Mouth-Watering Recipes Featuring Cream Cheese for the Holidays

Whether you’re searching for a creamy pasta dish, a sweet treat, holiday brunch ideas or a rich dessert for the holiday potluck, cream cheese takes centre stage no matter the event. In collaboration with Philadelphia and the RICARDO team, here are six recipes you can make with this smooth and versatile ingredient.

1. Rustic Tomato and Cream Cheese Tart

If you’re a big fan of tomatoes, you’ll definitely appreciate this dish that highlights them. Their tangy flavour goes well with the creamy taste of the cream cheese filling, as well as the Dijon mustard that’s spread onto the crust. Everyone will want a second piece!

2. Penne with Zucchini and Spinach in a Creamy Lemon Sauce

This pasta recipe with zucchini and spinach, coated in a cream cheese, Parmesan and lemon sauce, is both familiar and delicious. Perfectly seasoned with lemon zest and pancetta, it makes for a quick recipe that’ll make everyone happy during the holidays.

3. Cream Cheese and Raspberry Scones

During holiday brunch, bite into these delicious scones that pair well with the red berries. The use of cream cheese in this recipe also replaces some of the butter. The result is a tasty scone with a hint of saltiness, sure to please any and all palates.

4. Cheese Spread with Apricots and Toasted Seeds (For a Charcuterie Board)

If you’re torn between a cheese spread and a side of dried fruits and nuts, this recipe is the perfect solution. This wreath-shaped board is a combination of cream cheese, dried apricots and chives. The cream cheese is covered with a mix of pumpkin, sesame and coriander seeds, as well as black pepper. It’s a flavour palate that ranges from sweet to roasted, and it’s absolutely exquisite!

5. Cream Cheese Panna Cotta with Berries

If you’ve always wanted to attempt making panna cotta but were always intimidated, now’s the time to try. This simple recipe only requires a few steps and yields a very satisfying result. This traditional Italian dessert is flavoured with fruit jelly and made with cream cheese, adding a wonderfully rich dimension.

6. Caramel Cheesecake

Prepare a bakery-worthy cake with this dulce de leche cheesecake. Both sweet and salty, this cake is sure to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. This recipe yields 15 bars, served with caramel, bananas and toasted pecans. Arrange them on a serving platter and they’ll be gone in the blink of an eye!