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Mixing up this French Quarter Cheese Spread at home is a breeze. You get crazy creamy cheese underneath a dreamy, gooey layer of sugary, buttery pecans. Sweet and salty goodness that’s a total crowd-pleaser for parties and holidays. Takes just a few steps but looks crazy fancy, so grab those hearty crackers for the perfect bite—folks will be begging for details.
Irresistible Reasons to Try This Spread
When something sounds this rich, you know it's good. The creamy cheese with a touch of onion and garlic makes the base so smooth. Then those buttery pecans get tossed in caramel stuff for the best crunch. Sweet meets salty in every bite, and it goes awesome on any bread or crunchy cracker. Warm or not, people dig in every time—it fits right in at holidays and even relaxed hangouts.
French Quarter Cheese Spread Ingredients
- For Serving:
- Assorted sturdy crackers
- Fresh herbs for garnish
- Sliced baguette
- Pecan Topping:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
- Cheese Base:
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
How to Fix It, Step by Step
- Pull It Together and Serve
- Spoon the warm pecan sauce across the cream cheese mound. Pop on some herbs if you want. Scoop it up right away with crackers.
- Mix in the Pecans
- Off the heat, fold the chopped, toasted pecans into the hot sauce until coated.
- Whip Up the Pecan Sauce
- Stir together butter, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a pot over medium. Keep stirring until it starts to bubble and thickens just a bit, takes 3 or 4 minutes.
- Toast Up the Pecans
- Throw the pecans onto a sheet pan and roast at 350°F, stirring once. You’ll know they’re ready in 8 to 10 minutes when they smell awesome. Let 'em cool, then chop.
- Make the Cheese Base
- Dump softened cream cheese in a bowl with grated onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Beat it all up until creamy. Shape into a disk and plop it on your platter.
Helpful Hints for Greatness
Set out the cream cheese in advance for super easy mixing. Keep an eye out so your pecans don't burn while toasting. Let the sauce cool off a bit before dumping over the cheese, or it'll melt everywhere. Room temp butter makes stirring speedy and smooth. For a perfect base, grate onion as fine as possible.
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Serving Ideas
Set it out on a fun platter with all sorts of breads and crackers. Toss on some green herbs or more chopped pecans to jazz it up. If you want that topping to stay cozy, sit the plate on something warm. Add it to a cheese board for some variety. Totally shines at parties or big holiday spreads.
Keep It Fresh and Plan Ahead
Shape the cheese part early—store in the fridge up to two days. Best to make the pecan topping when you're about to serve. Leftovers? Pop in a sealed container in the fridge for around four days. Want the topping hot again? Quick zap in the microwave works. Freezing’s not great—it goes gritty.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why let cream cheese soften?
- Softened cheese blends super easily, so you don’t get any clumps.
- → Is it okay to prep early?
- You bet. Just hold off on the pecans until the end so they stay crunchy and nice on top.
- → Which crackers should I use?
- Go for crispy, sturdy crackers like wheat or water crackers. They’ll hold up well.
- → Can I skip chopping the pecans?
- Pre-chopped works, but if you chop them right before, they’ll be extra tasty and fresh.
- → Why use a grater for onion?
- Once you grate it, the flavor really comes out, and you won’t end up with any big onion bits.