• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cookin Canuck
  • Recipe Index
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Cooking 101
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Quick&Easy
  • Instant Pot
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Quick&Easy
    • Instant Pot
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Appetizers

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe

    Published: May 31, 2013 · Modified: May 2, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 16 Comments

    21Shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe | cookincanuck.com

    Call me cheap, but I am always shocked by the price of a miniscule container of flavored cream cheese at our local bagel shop. Of course, I'm also the person who, during the summer, orders a shot of espresso at Starbucks and takes it home to make my own iced latte so that I don't have to pay full price. Yeah, cheap. But the cream cheese thing always raises my hackles. Come on, people, we're mixing chopped herbs into cream cheese. Rocket science it's not.

    Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Cream Cheese was my first adventure in homemade flavored cream cheese. Chop, stir, done...I was sold.

    This time I was drawn to our fresh green chives with their pretty purple flowers popping out of our herb garden. And then there were the onions in the pantry. And I simply can't resist caramelized onions in or on anything...barley stew, focaccia, Brie flatbread...it's all good.

    This cream cheese is good for almost anything. Spread it on sandwiches, use it as a dip for veggies or (of course!) smear it on a bagel. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    The recipe:

    Heat a large saucepan set over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe | cookincanuck.com

    Add ½ cup water, cover the pan and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

    Remove ½ cup of the caramelized onions to a cutting board and chop. Let the chopped onions cool. Reserve the remaining onions for another use.

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe | cookincanuck.com

    Place the cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl and whip with a hand-mixer until fluffy, about 20 seconds.

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe | cookincanuck.com

    Stir in the caramelized onions, chives and salt. Serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator.

    Other snack ideas:

    Asparagus Hummus for Healthy Snacking
    No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites {Low Sugar & Gluten-Free)

    Caramelized Onion & Chive Cream Cheese Recipe

    This (very!) easy caramelized onion & chive cream cheese can be spread on sandwiches or bagel, or used as a dip for raw veggies.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Share by Text Rate
    Course: Appetizers, Sauces/Condiments, Snacks
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Caramelized Onion, Chives, Cream Cheese, Healthy
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 1 Batch
    Calories: 745kcal
    Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

    Ingredients

    • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
    • ½ cup warm water
    • 12 ounces low-fat cream cheese Neufchâtel cheese, softened
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat a large saucepan set over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
    • Add ½ cup water, cover the pan and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
    • Remove ½ cup of the caramelized onions to a cutting board and chop. Let the chopped onions cool. Reserve the remaining onions for another use.
    • Place the cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl and whip with a hand-mixer until fluffy, about 20 seconds.
    • Stir in the caramelized onions, chives and salt. Serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    Weight Watchers Points: 2 (Points+), 2 (Old Points)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 1422mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g
    Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

    21Shares
    « Mixed Grill Recipe with Sausages, Mini Peppers & Zucchini
    Cherry, Coconut & Honey Frozen Yogurt Recipe {Low Sugar} »

    Want more easy, healthy recipes?

    Subscribe to get the recipes sent straight to your inbox.

      We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen

        June 10, 2013 at 8:28 am

        I want this all up in my business! Oh my WORD!

        Reply
      2. Nutmeg Nanny

        June 07, 2013 at 5:23 pm

        Oh yum! This looks wonderful 🙂

        Reply
      3. Jeanette

        June 03, 2013 at 6:13 pm

        I'm with you - sauces are something I like to make at home, not just because it's cheaper but because I can control the amount of sodium and sugar that goes into it. I think your caramelized onion chive cream cheese would beat anything you'd ever find in the store Dara.

        Reply
      4. Frank @Memorie di Angelina

        June 03, 2013 at 6:43 am

        Ha! I feel the same way about all the various pasta sauces that come in a jar! So easy to make at home, at a fraction of the cost....

        This sound like a lovely dip/topping by the way. Reminds me of the flavored cheeses you can enjoy at those wine gardens in Vienna with your Gruner Veltiner. Nice memories!

        Reply
      5. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

        June 02, 2013 at 4:27 pm

        WOW. I am SO making this. And then I'm hiding in the closet and NOT sharing.

        Reply
      6. Karly

        June 01, 2013 at 9:15 pm

        Oh my word, how have I never thought of this?! It's brilliant.

        Cream cheese is one of my favorite food groups. 😉

        Reply
      7. nessa

        June 01, 2013 at 8:35 pm

        Love that you made a homemade version of something you love. Amazing!

        Reply
      8. The Café Sucre Farine

        June 01, 2013 at 12:42 pm

        Love this! Kind of like the old fasioned "onion dip" with a new fangled touch!

        Reply
      9. kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts

        June 01, 2013 at 11:15 am

        Dara,
        This sounds really yummy. Last summer I got lots of bunches of mixed herbs in my CSA farm share, and they'd sit around until I could come up with a chicken to stuff them in, usually. My plan for this summer is to make herbed cheese spreads, like Boursin or Alouette, and I think I'll go one step further and add some caramelized onions and roasted garlic to the mix. My kids love Boursin on crackers (no bagels for them, blame their orthodontist), sandwiches, and now I've been putting it on pizzas. So I've got my plans for the cream cheese, nitty gritty details from you, and all I need is the herbs from the farm share.
        Thanks!

        Reply
      10. MyKitchenStove

        June 01, 2013 at 9:00 am

        I Love caramelized onion. Lovely pictures.

        Reply
      11. Sally@gooddinnermom

        June 01, 2013 at 7:38 am

        I LOVE caramelized onions and this sounds delicious. And quick! Thank you.

        Reply
      12. Tieghan

        May 31, 2013 at 5:37 pm

        I am so with you!! Cream cheese at the bagel store is so insane! I never buy it, which is why I am so happy you post this. It looks incredible! I can not wait to try it!

        Reply
      13. Cassie

        May 31, 2013 at 11:46 am

        I would not call you cheap...that stuff is overpriced and I can imagine that the homemade is SO much better. This looks amazing, Dara!

        Reply
      14. Heather

        May 31, 2013 at 11:36 am

        I am with you all the way - bagel store cream cheese is WAY overpriced! I love this combo of flavors too!

        Reply
      15. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

        May 31, 2013 at 11:19 am

        I could practically live on caramelized onions, I love them that much. Love this!

        Reply
      16. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

        May 31, 2013 at 10:31 am

        I couldn't agree more! Store-bought flavoured cream cheese is way too expensive. I LOVE the caramelized onions in this. Yum!

        Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter
      Photo of Dara Michalski.

      Hi there! Welcome to Cookin' Canuck.

      I'm Dara, a Canadian living in the U.S. and sharing my favorite healthy recipes. My cooking motto is that healthy eating never needs to be boring!

      More about me →

      Popular

      • Strawberry Nice Cream
      • Lemon Orzo Salad
      • Sautéed Corn, Zucchini & Blistered Tomatoes Recipe
      • Grilled Halloumi Cheese Recipe

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Meet Dara
      • Contact
      • Work With Me
      • FAQ
      • Privacy Policy

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Recipes

      • All Recipes
      • Main Dishes
      • Instant Pot Recipes
      • 30-Minute Meals

      I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

      Copyright © 2022 Cookin' Canuck