Jalapeño Cheese Spread Recipe
Sharing a recipe for a smoky and spicy Jalapeño Cheese Spread, an easy appetizer recipe.
I was born in Charleston, SC and have lived half of my life in the Southeast United States, so I can honestly call myself a ‘Southerner’.
That being said, despite my southern roots, I am not a fan of Pimento Cheese (GASP!!) Now I love cheese and I love cream cheese, but pimentos…eh, they leave me flat. So, instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I make my ‘pimento’ cheese without pimentos!
Table of Contents
What readers are saying…
“Wow, I made your Jalapeno Cheese Spread for our book club meeting yesterday and everyone loved it. I will be sharing your recipe with them all. The great news is that I made a dent on my jalapeno harvest, 2 out of 1573 left to go!! Great recipe!
Lori
Where is it written that you have to have pimento in your Pimento Cheese Spread? Oh… never mind.
Well…so I bend the rules a bit and made a pimento-less Pimento Cheese Spread. In this case, jalapeños are a great stand-in and bring a little heat to the game.
All that being said, feel free to add pimentos to yours! A 4-ounce jar of diced pimentos would be just the right amount.
And since I was already breaking the rules by not inviting pimentos to the party anyway, I decided to go completely off-course and use smokey Gouda and Gruyere cheese instead of the traditional cheddar cheese for my Jalapeño Cheese Spread. And, I must say, it is a nice change!
A little spicy and a little smoky, this Jalapeño Cheese Spread is an easy-to-make appetizer and a great spread on crackers or little rye toasts.
In case your grocery store doesn’t carry those little rye toasts, buy the thinly sliced loaf of Rye Bread, slice off the edges to make a nice rectangle, and then toast them for the perfect rye toast for your Jalapeño Cheese Spread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Freezing is not recommended as it may affect the texture and consistency of the cheese spread.
There are so many variation options for this recipe. Use your favorite cheese or a blend of cheese. Add ingredients like bacon bits, chives, or even a dash of hot sauce for extra flavor.
Yes, this spread actually tastes better when made a day ahead as it allows the flavors to meld together more fully.
Jalapeño Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese shredded
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of mayonnaise more if needed
- 2 finely diced Jalapeño peppers’
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 – 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/3 – 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix until combined
- Store in the refrigerator
- Serve with crackers or toasted rye bread
Notes
Nutrition
More Appetizer Recipes
If you are looking for more easy-to-make appetizers, you might like these Roasted Olives with Feta. And for more easy cheese appetizers, Fromage Fort and Rosemary & Goat Cheese with Ginger Preserves are always popular with cheese lovers.
To refer back to this Jalapeño Cheese Spread recipe in the future, bookmark this page or pin the following image. And after you’ve made it and agree that it is DELICIOUS, pop back in and leave a comment on the post or the pin!
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Girl, I don’t know how you can call yourself a southerner if you don’t like pimento cheese! But this does look like a tasty substitute.
Right? I agree! And it is a tasty substitute for us fallen southerners.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Lynn
Not sure what pimento was made of. Knew about them enough to know I agree with Lynn! I learned they are small red peppers. I’ve only seen them in stores as canned soft foods. But I’m from the northeast.
Hi Linda,
Hmmm…I didn’t realize that they were such a regional food. Yeah, I can take them or leave them, they just don’t do too much for me. So I was happy to realize that this cheese spread is perfectly delicious with them.
Many hugs, Lynn
How can I pin the jalapeño cheese recipe?
Hi Michelle,
You should be able to pin all the images, but the specific pin image is underneath the recipe. Also, if you have the pin extension, there should be a bunch of pins that show up.
Have a great day!
Hugs,
Lynn
Wow, I made your Jalapeno Cheese Spread for our book club meeting yesterday and everyone loved it. I will be sharing your recipe with them all. The great news is that I made a dent on my jalapeno harvest, 2 out of 1573 left to go!! Great recipe!
Hi Lori,
Oh yay! I do love that cheese spread…and at least you made a dent in your jalapeno haul! 😂 Guess you could get busy and make some for the rest of your state too!
Thanks for sharing your kind comment and review! Makes my heart sing.
Hugs, Lynn
I really wanted to make this, but did not have the Gouda or Gruyere cheese. I did have a package of the Kroger brand shredded Italian blend cheese (Mozzarella, Smoke Provolone, Romano, Parmesan, Fontina and Asiago cheese). So I used that. I also put the cheese, cream cheese and mayo and spices in a mini chopper/ food processor to make it creamy. We like ours creamy. Then stirred in the Jalapenos. Otherwise followed the recipe just as it was, only I halved the recipe. Served it with a sliced French baguette that I cut into slices and toasted in my toaster oven. Got to say it was sooooo delicious!
Hi Stella,
I love that you put your own spin on the recipe! I am so glad your version turned out so yummy!Thanks for sharing your variation.
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
I only had to make a variation of your recipe because I didn’t have the different cheeses it called for on hand. I got lucky it turned out good.
I really want to try your recipe as written. I’m sure it will be even better!
Thanks Stella, I’m glad to add to the recipe that others have tried different cheeses with great results too! Helps other readers who may be in the same situation. I really appreciate you sharing that!
Have a great day,
Lynn
Delicious! With all the pimento chit chat I did the next best thing and added a little finely chopped Red Bell pepper. I don’t think it changed the taste any, but it added color and with the green jalapenos makes it perfect for a Christmas dip.
Great Idea! Perfect for the holidays. Thanks for sharing your brilliance.