By Claire Peretta

On their own, bagels are incredibly diverse. They range from salty to sweet to savory! They can be baked with inclusions, toppings, or nothing at all. Like a good outfit, what you “accessorize” a bagel with can work diligently to further enhance its flavor profile! That’s where cream cheese comes in. At its base, it’s a simple concoction made up of whole milk, lemon juice, and salt. But you don’t need to stop there: cream cheese’s versatility lies in the fact that the list of what you can blend it with is endless. Follow along for a number of popular cream cheese combinations, as well as a basic recipe you can make at home to get you started!

Prior to the addition of any accessory, the most important thing to figure out is the main outfit. That will decide what colors we use, as well as patterns, shapes, and aesthetics (Y2k, grunge, etc.). Now, as we talked about, bagels are the “main outfit” we all decide on before pairing them with cream cheese. For example, if we select a poppyseed bagel, then a garlic and herb cream cheese’s deep savory flavor might work best to enhance the earthy taste of the seeds. Or, if we pick a cinnamon raisin, then the sweet and spicy notes of the bagel can be elevated by the harmonizing sweet and nutty flavor of a honey walnut cream cheese. But, before we even begin incorporating our chosen combinations, it’ll do us well to understand exactly how that cream cheese foundation is made!

Below is a recipe on how to make basic, plain cream cheese at home, referenced by professional chef and self-proclaimed Bold Baker, Gemma Stafford. With this, you’ll have the simple base on which to craft whatever flavor profiles you can think of!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice (which you can substitute with lime juice or a white, plain vinegar)
• A pinch of salt to taste

Directions:

• Into a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-high heat, gently pour in four cups of whole milk. With a large spoon, stir it every so often until the milk comes to a simmer.
• Lowering the temperature down to a medium-controlled heat, stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice at a time. Do this for about a minute or so each. The milk will begin to curdle, but don’t fear! Those curds are what will become the cream cheese.
• Next, using a large bowl, sieve, and cheesecloth, strain the liquid to separate the curds from the whey. To do this, set the sieve over the large bowl, and lay the cheesecloth over top. Pour the pot of curds over the cheesecloth, letting it sit for around fifteen minutes in order for all the liquid to drip away. *Note: The leftover liquid can be used to make marinades and brines–so don’t toss it out if you don’t want to!
• Into a food processor, add your cheese curds and salt for flavor, and blend until smooth. This will give the cream cheese that creamy texture. You can also add in any herbs, spices, or other ingredients that interest you, but remember, if you want a chunkier cream cheese, you may want to wait until after the base is processed before folding in your inclusions (chopped-up nuts, berries, etc.). * Note: If you feel as though the cream cheese is thicker than you’d like, you can loosen it up by using a little bit of the liquid separated from the curds or even a drop of heavy cream.
• Finally, enjoy!

Now that we understand how to make our cream cheese base, it’s time to accessorize! The following is a short list of some popular flavor combinations you can try!

1. Sriracha Honey: Made with honey and sriracha, the sweetness of the honey works to perfectly balance out the spicy kick from the sauce, elevating your bagel with a nice light heat. Further, the addition of a small spoonful of lime juice can enhance the overall zestiness, contrasting the cool, smooth cream cheese base. Everything bagels pair best with spicier cream cheeses, as they are also packed with bold flavors from their various seeds. 
2. Cucumber Dill: A recent favorite, made with diced cucumber bits and fresh dill, provides your bagel with a cool, refreshing, savory bite. The cucumber adds a soft crunch, which contrasts the smooth cream cheese base, and the fresh dill adds a zesty, tangy pop! Plain, everything, and sesame bagels are good partners for crunchy, slightly savory cream cheese flavors. The plain bagel brings out the flavors and texture in the cucumber and dill combination, whereas the everything and sesame bagels give it both extra texture as well as a soft, nutty taste that contrasts the sharp, tangy dill flavor.
3. Pumpkin: This popular seasonal flavor–made with brown sugar, honey, canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla–supplies a comforting spicy-sweet taste to your bagel, reminiscent of fall. In addition, the canned pumpkin adds to the overall creaminess of the texture. This cream cheese, in particular, pairs well with blueberry, pumpernickel, and cinnamon bagels.
4. Fruit: Fruity cream cheeses, most often expressed through flavors of blueberry and strawberry (mixed with a bit of honey or sugar), add a sweet and tangy twist to your bagel. The sweetness of the berries delightfully contrasts the tang from the cream cheese, bringing a more complex taste to the relatively simple combination. Sweet bagels tend to pair well with sweet cream cheeses like these, such as blueberry and cinnamon raisin.

The list of flavor profiles you can create starting with just a simple cream cheese base is truly endless, which is what makes the spread such a versatile accessory! It is completely customizable, allowing you to play around with similar or contrasting notes–unique bites perfectly suited to you and your bagel!