French Quarter Pecan Cheese Spread is an amazing appetizer for a Mardi Gras party or any get together. It’s so easy to make and consists of a cream cheese disc flavored with a little onion and garlic, topped with a pecan praline sauce.
French Quarter Pecan Cheese Spread is the perfect sweet and salty combination and it is so easy to make in advance.
This recipe just uses 1 package of cream cheese which makes an appetizer perfect for a small gathering. For a large party, just double the recipe.
Make in Advance
The cream cheese part is made with just a few teaspoons of grated onion and a teaspoon of minced garlic. Just this little bit of onion and garlic gives the cream cheese so much flavor. It’s best to make it a day in advance for the best flavor.
Pecan Praline Sauce
The pecan praline sauce only takes a few minutes to make. It’s best to prepare it just before serving so that the sauce part stays liquid and drips down the sides. But in a pinch, you can prepare the whole thing ahead of time. It will still be delicious.
The praline sauce is made from a simple mixture of butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, with a little pinch of cayenne pepper. So much flavor!
Make It Spicy
To make this appetizer spicy, add at least 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
More Party Favorites
- Smoked Oyster Spread
- Chicken Cranberry Pinwheels
- Spicy Grape Meatballs
- Sausage Cream Cheese Pinwheels
- Alabama Fire Crackers
Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is to make.
French Quarter Pecan Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons grated or very finely minced onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
- pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans out on a baking sheet and place in oven for 6 to 8 minutes to toast. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the onion and garlic into the cream cheese. Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Just before serving, cut butter into pieces so it will melt faster and place in a saucepan. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dried mustard, and cayenne pepper and heat over medium-low, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved.
- Stir pecans into butter mixture. Let cool a few minutes and then spoon on top of cream cheese.
I made this for a potluck for Fat Tuesday and dropped it off early in the day. I arrived 20 min late for the dinner and it was almost GONE. Everyone LOVED it! Big hit!
Awesome! I like to make the cream cheese garlic and onions a day ahead so it get a good flavor going I double the garlic and onions as well!
That is good