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pub cheese in a white bowl with two kinds of crackers
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4.72 from 7 votes

Pub Cheese

Homemade pub cheese is such an easy win. It's creamy, super-flavorful, make-ahead friendly, and ready in 10 minutes. Makes about two cups of cheese spread.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Snacks and Starters
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pub cheese
Calories: 32kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (225 grams) extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese
  • ⅓ cup minced shallot from 1 small shallot
  • 1 medium garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne
  • ¼ cup dry sherry or flat beer try an amber ale

Instructions

  • Shred the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater or using your food processor's shredding disk.
  • Fit the food processor with the blade.
  • Add the shredded cheddar, cream cheese, shallot, garlic, dijon, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
  • Pour in the sherry or beer.
  • Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary to incorporate all ingredients.
  • Serve with crackers, soft pretzels, or vegetables.

Notes

  1. You can choose between dry sherry (which I love) and amber ale (which is the traditional choice for pub cheese). Depending which variety of sherry you use, you'll get a tangier or slightly sweeter and nuttier result. I usually use a good Amontillado, which leans toward caramel, but you can use any type as long as it's dry. Learn more about sherry varieties here.
  2. The amount of cayenne listed in the recipe provides a low-key hint of spice that complements the creamy spread from the background. You can add more if you want a spicy result.
  3. This recipe is easy to customize. Spice it up with your favorite hot sauce. After blending, stir in cooked crumbled bacon or sausage, diced fresh or pickled jalapeños, or diced dill or sour pickles. For an alcohol-free version, use milk instead of the sherry or beer. 
  4. Cheese spread keeps very well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. It will firm up when cold, so I like to leave it out a room temperature for 30 minutes or so before serving. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 2.6g