Have you planned your Thanksgiving yet? I am an early planner, I love planning a big fun meal. We usually eat Thanksgiving dinner in the late afternoon and instead of serving lunch first I put out fun appetizers and snacks. Cheese ball is always popular but my husband’s favorite is always a spreadable cheese. I used to purchase it premade but after making it I have to say it’s now my favorite too! My husband smokes all our cheddar so of course I used that but if you are just using unsmoked cheese it will still be amazing!
I wanted an alcohol free recipe since we don’t drink it and the only alcohol I keep around is for vanilla extract. All the recipes I came across used beer so I ventured out to make an alcohol free recipe. I think the sweetness of apple pairs really well with the cheddar. A dash of liquid smoke and paprika make it just a little more smoky.
While this does keep for a couple weeks in the fridge you may want to hide it if you’re making it for a holiday appetizer!
This comes together in a zip. Pulse the garlic and cheeses until they look crumbly
After adding the additional ingredients make sure it is processed until smooth.
Alcohol Free Pub Cheese (Spreadable Cheese)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (approximately 3 cups) shredded smoked cheddar*
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
Instructions
- Pulse the cheese, cream cheese, and garlic together in a food processor until mixture is crumbly.
- Add the worcestershire, liquid smoke, and paprika and pulse briefly to combine.
- Add half of the cider and process until mixture is completely smooth. Add remaining cider as neeeded to reach desired consistency.
- If chilling to serve later keep in mind it will firm up more after being chilled so I add the entire amount apple cider.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
*Medium or sharp cheddar also works well. If you don’t have smoked cheddar but want a more smoky flavor double the liquid smoke.
