A quick and easy dill cream cheese spread made with cream cheese, fresh dill, and lemon. This versatile spread is perfect for bagels, sandwiches, or as a dip, adding bright, herby flavor to any dish. Ready in just 15 minutes.
Having fresh dill growing in your garden is wonderful. However, in the summer heat, it doesn't last for long. I needed a quick way to put it to use, and mixing it into cream cheese turned out to be exactly the fix - the dill's flavor stayed bright, and the whole batch disappeared faster than I expected.
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Why You'll Want to Make This Spread
- You get the full flavor of fresh dill. If you're a fan of dill, you'll love this recipe.
- It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare.
- There are countless ways to use this spread-not just on bagels, sandwiches, and wraps, but on crackers, as a dip for vegetables, tossed with hot pasta and a little pasta cooking water to make a sauce, or mixed with oil and vinegar to make a creamy salad dressing.
Try this dill cream cheese spread with my recipe for Cheese and Chive Scones, in place of ricotta on these Butternut Squash Crostini, tossed with Roasted Potatoes and Leeks, and as a garnish on Vegetarian Borscht Soup.
🧀Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make dill cream cheese spread.
- Fresh dill is the star of this show. It's herby, lightly grassy, a bit sweet, and a natural pairing for tangy cream cheese.
- Cream cheese - Creamy, full-fat cream cheese is the key to making a great cream cheese spread. Don't bother with the low-fat options here. Cabot Creamery makes a great cream cheese.
- Lemon - The zest and juice add some extra brightness to the spread.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
🌿Substitutions & Variations
- If you don't have fresh dill, you can use dried if you must, about ⅓ as much, but it won't taste quite the same. I find dried dill to be grassier. In this case, you'll want to let the flavors meld in the fridge.
- Try adding other flavors, such as chopped garlic, freshly ground black pepper, or another herb, like chives or parsley.
- Whip it up with a mixer for an extra smooth spread.
- Thin it out with a splash or two of milk to use as a dip or sauce.
- Make it spicy. Chop up some of these Oven Roasted Jalapeños and stir them in.
🥣Instructions
Here's how to make this incredibly easy dill cream cheese spread.
- Step 1: Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until soft.
- Step 2: Zest ½ of a lemon and add it to the bowl.
- Step 3: Add about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the bowl of cream cheese.
- Step 4: Stir again. The lemon juice will make it easier.
- Step 5: Chop fresh dill leaves until you have 3- 4 tablespoons' worth.
- Step 6: Add the dill to the bowl of cream cheese. Stir to incorporate. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, if needed.
✨Top Tips
- Let your cream cheese get to room temperature by leaving it out, unwrapped, for about 30 minutes. Then, be sure to use a sturdy spoon when mixing the spread, as the cream cheese may still be a bit firm.
- Refrigerating the cream cheese spread for at least 30 minutes after making it will allow the dill and lemon flavors to infuse more fully into the cheese.
🫙Storage
Fridge - This dill cream cheese spread will keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to two weeks. However, leaving it out for extended periods will reduce its longevity.
Freezer - Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge to soften. However, freezing may change the texture, making it less smooth.
💭FAQ
Cream cheese is great on bagels, vegetable slices, crackers, and sandwiches; tossed with hot pasta to make a creamy sauce; thinned with milk to make a salad dressing; and used as a topping for baked potatoes.
Use less liquid, in this case lemon juice, when making the spread. You can add more cream cheese to thicken it back up if you've already thinned it too much. Make your spread with a block of cream cheese rather than the whipped variety.
You can soften cream cheese spread in the microwave using low power for short bursts. Your microwave may even have a soften setting. You can also melt it by adding the spread to hot dishes, such as pasta, to make a sauce.
🥔Pairing
Here are a few recipes to pair with this dill cream cheese spread:
📖 Recipe
Dill Cream Cheese Spread
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A dill cream cheese spread made with cream cheese, fresh dill, and lemon. This versatile spread is perfect for bagels, sandwiches, or as a dip that will add bright, herby flavor to any dish.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill leaves
- Pinch of kosher salt (optional)
Instructions
- If it hasn't already softened, let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. When soft, add it to a bowl and stir it up with a sturdy spoon to continue softening.
- Zest and juice ½ lemon, then add it to the cream cheese. Stir to combine.
- Wash and chop your fresh dill. Remove the leaves from the stems and roughly chop. Start with 3 tablespoons and stir this into the cream cheese. Add more dill for a more prominent flavor and salt, if desired.
- Allow the cream cheese spread to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer to maximize flavor.
Notes
Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature to make it easier to blend with the lemon and dill.
But after blending, put the cream cheese spread back in the fridge for 30 minutes or more for the flavors to meld.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Stirring
- Cuisine: American
🧈Related Recipes
Looking for more cheesy recipes? Try these:
Gabriela says
Easy recipe, goes really well with cucumber 😊
Steve says
Glad you enjoyed it Gabriela!
Omar says
Elevates average cream cheese
Steve says
It does! Thanks, Omar.