Blended cream cheese is flavored with a few ingredients, then topped with decadent warm sugared pecans in this French Quarter Cheese Spread. It’s sweet and salty, and just an incredible tasting easy, festive appetizer for holiday gatherings!
Put this appetizer out with some crackers and hot buttered rum and everyone will love you forever.
Easy and Decadent Cheese Appetizer
Well, I guess anything named after the French Quarter is bound to be naughty, right? And this French Quarter Cheese Spread really is. But you don’t need to draw your blinds to enjoy it! HA.
I was first introduced to this gem by my sister many years ago, at which point I had to force myself to slowly back away from the counter or I wouldn’t have room for dinner. Crazy good. Even my kids, who aren’t big cream cheese fans, begged me to let them “ruin their appetite.”
Made with blended, flavored cream cheese and a warm sugared pecans mixture, it’s just an incredible sweet and salty combo. I now make this countless times during the year, and always for Thanksgiving and Christmas for a festive holiday appetizer. Everyone looks forward to it!
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few ingredients to make this cheese appetizer. The taste will blow your mind, though.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- Onion, grated
- Garlic, minced
- Unsalted Butter
- Brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Spicy brown mustard
- Finely chopped toasted pecans
- Assorted sturdy crackers, for serving
How to Make French Quarter Cheese Spread
This comes together in 20 minutes…and will be eaten in seconds. It’s so good.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Form the cream cheese. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, and garlic. Transfer to a serving plate; shape into a 6-inch disk. Set aside.
- Make the pecan topping. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in pecans.
- Assemble and serve. Cool slightly. Spoon over cheese. Serve with crackers.
Video: French Quarter Cheese Spread
Serving and Storage
- Serving suggestions. Serve this appetizer spread with assorted crackers, such as water crackers or wheat thins, or your favorite – but something sturdy. French Quarter Cheese Spread is best served while the pecan topping is a little warm, although nobody is going to shy away from it at room temperature. It’s stupid delicious, either way.
- Leftovers. We’ve never had it cold because there’s never anything leftover to store, but if you do happen to have extra, it should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 4 days.
More Holiday Appetizers:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
French Quarter Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 8 ounce package cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 1 clove garlic , finely minced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , cubed
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- 3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
- assorted sturdy crackers , for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, and garlic until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer to a serving plate; shape into a 6-inch disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, then bring to near room temperature before you make the pecan mixture.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in pecans.
- Cool slightly for a couple minutes. Spoon over cream cheese mixture, allowing it to fall over the sides.
- Serve immediately with crackers and watch everyone fight over it!
Oh Wow! This is deeee-licious…
Absolutely one of my favorites. So easy too!
I have some fabulous cream cheese ball recipes that I have made for 50 + years!! This one out did them all. So refreshing to find something new that is a winner. Made it for the Buffalo Bill’s game tomorrow, the playoffs, against Kansas City. GO BILL”S
My family and Iloved this receipe to hte moon and back!. Thank you.
OMG so good!!!
Absolutely delicious! I’ve adapted it to leave out the nuts and mixed the topping sauce through. My entire family loves it. It goes so well on fresh veggies as a dip or on crackers and toast. 10/10 would recommend.
Hey Amy! I live in an area where I can’t seem to get spicy brown mustard anywhere. I want to make this receipe for NYE. Do you know what could be used as a substitute???
Hi Jill! Dijon mustard can be used instead. It’s such a small amount that really most any mustard can be used except yellow.
Thank you, Amy!! One last question – is there a specific type of onion you would suggest or does type matter?
A sweet Vidalia onion would be ideal, but a yellow onion is fine too.
Absolutely incredible ! We have died and gone to heaven
DELICIOUS! Everone loved it and I will be making this again!
Easy and a hit with the crowd. Will definitely make again.
Another stellar recipe from BellyFull
Loved it! So glad I tried it. I find that 1/2 tsp of mustard to be barely enough (admitted mustard lover) so I used a tablespoon of mustard and it was fantastic
Made this in the past and loved it. Do you think if kept separately, you can make the cream cheese mixture and pecan mixture separately, ahead of time? And then reheat and assemble before serving? If so, how far in advance do you think?
Sure, up to a day ahead.
I added a little worcestershire to the cheese mixture as well. Also used shallots for the onion. I made a double recipe for my daughter’s baby shower, and it was gobbled up in a flash.
This was AMAZING!! You were right, everyone did fight over it. 10/10.
My friends literally pushed each other out of the way for the last bit of spread!
What kind of crackers are good with this dip?
I doubled the recipe for a baby shower and it disappeared. I need to make it again so that I can taste it.
I made this recipe for a party with my gal pals in June 2024 and everyone loved it. This will be my go to for a delicious cheese spread for just about any occasion.
Love it!!
Super easy and delicious! Has all the yummy flavors of sweet, savory, salty!
This sounds sooo good. Can’t wait to make it!
I took this to a party tonight and ever loved it and wanted the recipe. I will make this again, i seriously couldn’t get enough of it.
I hate to buy a whole jar of spicy mustard just to use a half tsp. Would it be ok without it?
It does add flavor, but yes you can leave it out.
Spicey brown mustard is great to have on hand for so many things! I love it on brats with caramelized onions and relish, or on a corned beef sandwich on dark rye bread with a great cheese and pickled red onions. It even goes great in a autumn fruit compote, just to name a few.
Made it just exactly like the recipe calls for and it’s divine. Made it again and sprinkled in a little red pepper flakes when heating the topping ingredients together to give it a little kick. Either way is PERFECTION for a decadent and easy appetizer that people will rave about!
This lived up to all the hype. Made it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and just made it again for game day. We LOVE it!!
This recipe is off the hook delicious. Served it New Year’s Eve. It was a hit and will be a go-to for us. Each year I choose a recipe. I’ve gotten off the internet. This is my number one for the year 2023 for recipe finds. Thank you for sharing it. So simple to me yet. So incredibly delicious.
I’ve made this twice now and it’s been a hit both times. This recipe is on my regular rotation!! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!!
I brought this to a holiday party and it was a hit. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe! It is delicious!
I made a double batch for Thanksgiving and every single bite was eaten. This is probably the best go-to party dip I have every made!
Everyone loved this app and I have shared the recipe and website.
This was a hit! Easy to prepare and delicious!
Easy recipe to make and a big hit at our family Thanksgiving!
This is delicious..Made for Thanksgiving…loved by all none left! ENJOY!
This was an absolute home run at our Thanksgiving gathering and disappeared FAST!!
This looks delicious! I’m wondering if goat cheese can be used instead of cream cheese?
Hi Amy,
What is the best onion choice for this recipe? Would a shallot be ok or a Vidalia? Or just a normal yellow onion?
Any of those will work fine, enjoy!
I made this for a Friendsgiving potluck at work. People raved about it.
This was AMAZING. And so easy! Making it again for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. LOL.
This is, hands down, my favorite appetizer. I get asked all the time for the recipe. Thank you for bringing this awesome-ness to my parties!
This is a recipe I will make over and over! We loved it so much and it is so easy. Thanks Amy
Recommend.
how would you serve if you’re making it to take somewhere else? does it need to be chilled? do you top the cheese w/pecan mixture, then cover and chill till you arrive?
I would make the cream cheese mixture, place on the serving plate, then refrigerate until ready to transport. Make the pecan mixture and transfer to a bowl and cover. Then when you get to your destination, reheat the pecan sauce and pour over the cream cheese, then serve.
How do you toast your pecans for this recipe
Amaaaazing!!
What type of cracker do you recommend servings with this recipe?
This lasted all of .000005 seconds at a party we just had. Incredible.
Delicious!!!
This was AWESOME!!! So yummy.
Wow, really, I can’t get over that delicious taste! So simple and yet – sooo great. Thank you for this recipe – it’s a real keeper
My wife made this for Thanksgiving and we are all begging her to make it again for Christmas.
This sounds amazing! Definitely a different type of cheese ball!
This is a keeper!! So easy, but tastes like a million dollars. Rave reviews, thank you!
Made this for a small party, served with other appetizers and red wine. I’d give it 10 stars if I could. FANTASTIC.
This looks fantastic! Definitely putting this on my Thanksgiving app list!!!