The Best Creamy Pimento Cheese Spread
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Looking for an easy and delicious snack? This Creamy Cheese Pimento Spread will surely become a new favorite with your friends and family!
Pimento Cheese Spread
Do you ever struggle with finding healthy, non-processed snacks, especially when you have two growing teenagers (or more) in your house? I am always looking for snack foods that my kids will enjoy. This one hits the mark; not only do the kids love it, but it has also become a favorite evening snack for my hubby! That spells a WIN, WIN, in my book!!
It has quickly become one of our favorite snack foods to have on hand around our place. We enjoy it with crackers as a cream cheese appetizer or snack or as a meal, spread on fresh-baked bread as pimento cheese sandwiches. (It would also be delicious spread on a hamburger.) The best part of this pimento cheese is that it is easy to throw together and makes a large batch that will last so your family can enjoy it for a while.
This southern staple is so much better when you make it homemade vs the store-bought version. Let’s jump into the recipe so that you can give it a try!
Tip: Any sandwich tastes better on freshly baked bread, like this Basic White Bread.
What is Pimento Cheese made of?
Pimento Cheese Spread can be made from various ingredients, from shredded cheese to mayo, and might include spices such as black pepper, green olives, or even pickles. My recipe contains the basic ingredients, which you can see below.
Are Pimentos Spicy?
Pimento Peppers are one of the mildest peppers on the scale. They are in this recipe for their flavor and not for their spiciness. Pimentos are not the same as diced red bell pepper; they are a different kind of pepper altogether.
Ingredients in Homemade Pimento Cheese
- Cream Cheese. Cream Cheese can usually be purchased in a bulk 3lb brick which is great if you use a lot of it. You should use softened cream cheese in this recipe.
- Pimentos. These can be bought from the store or you can use home-canned if you grow them!
- Onion powder and Garlic powder. You could also add a bit of salt or cayenne pepper if you think it needs a little more flavor.
- Shredded cheese. I prefer extra-sharp cheddar cheese or medium cheddar but you can use what you have if you want to mix it up. You can use pre-shredded cheese to make the recipe faster or you can shred it yourself.
I love pimento cheese spread. I found it’s best if you grate your own cheese.
Anna, Little House Living reader
I also like to add Monterey jack to the Sharp cheese. I took it to work and my coworkers ate most before I could take a break.
Ways to Use Pimento Cheese Spread
We like to eat this with pretzel chips or crackers of your choice. You can make homemade crackers like these Homemade Wheat Crackers or Homemade Saltines. Or, if you are gluten-free, be sure to try these homemade Brown Rice Crackers!
- As mentioned above, you can also use this spread in a sandwich or any pimento cheese recipes that call for the spread.
- You could also place the spread inside sticks of celery or dip red bell peppers or carrots into it for a grain-free, low-carb snack.
- Another thing to try is to use this as the filling for your next batch of Deviled Eggs!
- Use it as a topping for baked potatoes.
This Cheese Pimento Spread is delicious! It’s so much better & healthier than store-bought.
Joy, Little House Living reader
I used a hand mixer instead of a food processor to mix the ingredients, so it is nice & chunky.
Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Instructions for Making Pimento Cheese Spread
How to make pimento cheese spread:
I recommend using a food processor for quick, easy blending of the ingredients in this recipe. You can use an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl if you do not have a food processor.
Tip: See more of our favorite recommended products.
Bring your cream cheese to room temperature and place it in a food processor.
Add in your jar of sliced pimentos (including liquid), onion powder, and garlic powder.
Blend this mixture in your processor until smooth and well blended. It will take a bit to incorporate, but keep mixing until it’s smooth and creamy.
Next, add the shredded cheese and process until the cheese is fully incorporated into the mixture. It is okay to have some texture to your pimento spread, and the shredded cheese will provide that.
That’s it, easy and delicious! Once refrigerated, it will become slightly firmer. It will stay good in the refrigerator for at least a week, possibly longer, but it doesn’t last that long around here!
Want to print this Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe for your Recipe Binder? Grab it below:
Cheese Pimento Spread Recipe
How to make a creamy and delicious cheese pimento spread for crackers.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cream cheese
- 1 jar 4 oz. sliced pimientos
- 1 onion powder
- 1 garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded cheese I prefer sharp cheddar or medium cheddar
Instructions
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Bring your cream cheese to room temperature and place in a food processor.
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Add in your jar of sliced pimientos (including liquid), onion powder and garlic powder.
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Blend this mixture in your processor until smooth and well blended. It will take a little bit for it to incorporate, but just keep blending until smooth and creamy.
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Next, add in the shredded cheese and process until the cheese is fully incorporated into the mixture. It is ok to have some texture to your pimento spread and the shredded cheese will provide that.
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That’s it, easy and delicious! Once refrigerated, it will become slightly firmer.
Recipe Notes
It will stay good in the refrigerator for at least a week, possibly longer, but it doesn’t last that long around here!
How to Store Leftover Pimento Cheese Spread
Place any leftover cheese spread that you aren’t eating right away in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy within a week or so of making the spread. Because of the ingredients, this spread does not freeze well.
More Homemade Dips and Spreads
- 7 Layer Taco Dip Recipe
- Cream Cheese Spinach Dip Recipe
- Taco Dip Recipe with Ground Beef
- Homemade Dill Dip Recipe
- Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe
- Cream Cheese Taco Dip
- Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe
- Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Dip Recipe
- Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
What kind of crackers will you enjoy this Cheese Pimento Spread on?
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This Cheese Pimento Spread was originally published on Little House Living in September 2014. It has been updated as of March 2024.
This sounds good! We love anything and everything with cheese..I’ll be trying this soon. Thanks!
This looks yum. I don’t often buy pimentos, but it sounds yummy in a dip. Perfect for football season. Thanks for stopping by Merry Monday!! Come back next week. Pinning.
This sounds awesome! Pinning to make on a game day. 😉
I found you on the Project Parade. Thanks for sharing!
This look so yummy and I have not had pimento dip for ages, thank you!
Think I will add some jalapenos… 🙂
This makes wonderful stuffed celery.
Yummy being from Texas my mom made this too…Maybe I will make some soon…
I would like to know what is the brand of cream cheese you use in your pimento cheese?
We use the bulk brand (it’s usually called Smithfields) from Azure Standard.
Oh how I wish I had seen this last week. I bought pimiento cheese to use on crackers for a party I had. This sounds so much better and I will save this for another party. Thank you!
your recipe sounds awesome but i’d like chunkier version to spread on crackers, can I omit food processor and mix cream cheese til smooth and incorporate remainder of ingred. till mixed?
Sure!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe for Creamy Cheese Pimento Spread as we cannot buy it here and we love the taste of it. Now we can make it any time we want it.
I can’t wait to try this on wheat bread as a sandwich!
I toast the bread. Think it’s better that way.
I love pimento cheese and your spread looks delicious! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Yum!
Thanks for the recipe. Will try this week.
Do you have any idea if this is similar to the Kraft product you purchase in a jar?
I have a recipe that uses that specifically and need a substitute. I can no longer find it in stores. Thank you.
Is this recipe similar to the Kraft pimento cheese sold in the small jars?
Yes 🙂 Just a “fresher” tasting version!
I love pimento cheese spread. I found it’s best if you grate your own cheese.
I also like to add Monterey jack to the Sharp cheese. I took it to work and my coworkers ate most before I could take a break.
This Cheese Pimento Spread is delicious! It’s so much better & healthier than store-bought.
I used a hand mixer instead of a food processor to mix the ingredients, so it is nice & chunky.
Thank you for another delicious recipe!
What are the increments of onion powder and garlic powder?