Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

I recently ate at Panera Bread.

I have fond memories of Panera.  In Chapel Hill, my parents would come visit me and we would always go to Panera.  In Grad school I would got there first thing in the morning to study for a test that I probably should have studied for weeks in advance.  The employees were always so nice at 7 o’clock in the morning.

I wanted to slap them.  You try studying for an impossible biomechanics test that early in the morning.  It’s hard to be nice in return.

I LOVE their blueberry bagels with honey walnut cream cheese.  These days I do not go to Panera Bread often, but when I do it is a real treat.  Recently, I went there with my sister-in-law and Briana.  It was delicious like always, but I left wondering if I could recreate the honey walnut cream cheese that I loved so much.

I was successful and will forever be hooked on homemade flavored cream cheese.

Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

8 ounces whipped cream cheese

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, place cream cheese, honey and cinnamon.

2. Toast the walnuts. Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add walnuts to pan and gently shake pan often to prevent burning. Toast walnuts until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add walnuts to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.

I slathered my cream cheese on a bagel thin, because let’s face it, I am not hurting for carbohydrates in my diet.  A bagel thin is a smarter option.  Store the cream cheese in the refrigerator.

In the morning, I like to have a bagel thin with honey walnut cream cheese, a banana and lots of coffee.  This cream cheese is also great spread on to a graham cracker.

For printable recipe, click here.

Tags: bagel, cream cheese, Easy, honey walnut, Recipe