Ingredients:

  • 8 oz full-fat brick style cream cheese
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1.5 tbsp whole milk
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried chives
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.125 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Soften the base. Place your 8 oz cream cheese in the bowl and let it sit until it feels like soft butter when pressed.
  2. Smash and smooth. Use your spatula to spread the cream cheese against the walls of the bowl until it looks like thick frosting.
  3. Integrate the tang. Fold in the 0.5 cup sour cream slowly until no white streaks remain.
  4. Add the aromatics. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, dried chives, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
  5. Whisk for volume. Use a whisk to beat the mixture for 60 seconds until the surface looks slightly glossy.
  6. Adjust the flow. Add the 1.5 tbsp whole milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred dipping consistency.
  7. Taste and tweak. Dip a small piece of bread or a cracker to check the salt level.
  8. Final Polish. Transfer to a clean serving bowl and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
  9. Garnish. Sprinkle a tiny bit of extra chives or paprika on top until it looks like a professional appetizer.