Honey Walnut Cream Cheese (Panera Copycat)

Make copycat Panera Honey Walnut Cream Cheese from scratch in minutes! It tastes just like the original and is perfect to spread on fresh bagels.

If you love the Honey Walnut Cream Cheese from Panera, try making it homemade from scratch!

It is super simple to make in just a few minutes and it tastes even better than the original! This flavored cream cheese is perfect for spreading on fresh bagels.

Panera Bread is a popular chain restaurant known for its delicious pastries and baked goods. One of their most popular items is the honey walnut cream cheese, which can be enjoyed on bagels or used as a spread on other pastries!

While it's easy to head into your favorite restaurant chain, it's very simple to make at home from scratch! This honey walnut cream cheese recipe is simple and requires only a few ingredients.

To make this recipe, you'll toast up walnuts until nutty and fragrant - don't worry, it's really quick and easy. You just heat them in a dry frying pan for a few minutes.

Then chop or process them and add them to cream cheese along with honey, vanilla, and a touch of salt.

The result is a sweet, nutty, and tangy flavored cream cheese spread that's perfect for bagels or your favorite breakfast pastries!

It's ready in minutes and is soooo good. Heck, I've been known to eat it by the spoonful.

If you love copycat recipes of your favorite restaurant dishes, you'll also love Arby's Horsey Sauce, Alice Springs Chicken, Taco Bell Chipotle Sauce, and Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice.

Jump to:

• Why Make This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Cook's Tips
• Variations
• Storage & Freezing
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why Make This Recipe

By making this recipe at home, you can control the quality and freshness of the ingredients. This honey walnut cream cheese is made with real honey, walnuts, and cream cheese - no preservatives or artificial flavors!

This recipe costs a fraction of what you would pay for store-bought honey walnut cream cheese.

This honey walnut cream cheese is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy with a nutty flavor from the toasted walnuts. It's an irresistible spread for bagels or breakfast pastries!

You can make it a day or two ahead, and it gets even better as the flavors blend.

Perfect on Panera Cinnamon Crunch Bagels.

Ingredients

• Walnuts - Adds a nutty flavor and crunchy texture throughout the cream cheese.
• Cream Cheese - Makes up the creamy and tangy base of the spread that allows all of the ingredients to come together.
• Honey - Adds a natural sweetness to the cream cheese that pairs well with the cinnamon and walnuts.
• Cinnamon - (OPTIONAL) Adds a light warming flavor throughout the cream cheese mixture.
• Vanilla Extract - Gives the cream cheese a complimentary vanilla flavor throughout.
• Salt - Helps balance and enhances the sweetness and tangy flavors in the cream cheese.

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full quantities.

Instructions

Wondering how to make this Honey Walnut Cream Cheese recipe? It's easy!

Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.

Toast and process the walnuts: Add the walnuts to a dry nonstick pan (no oil) over medium heat and toast, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant.

Whiz the walnuts: Pour the toasted walnuts into a food processor and pulse a few times to break them up.

Assemble the cream cheese: Add the cream cheese, honey, vanilla and salt and pulse just until combined. There will still be small chunks of walnut.

Chill and store: Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm it up. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Cook's Tips

Toasting the walnuts helps add flavor and prevents them from turning the cream cheese mixture brown.

Use unsalted walnuts so the salt flavor doesn't overpower.

Pulse the food processor a few times to break up the walnuts, so they're evenly distributed but still in small pieces. You don't want them to be too finely ground, or they'll turn the cream cheese mixture brown.

It's important to let the cream cheese chill for at least a few hours so it can firm up. This will make it much easier to spread!

Variations

• Add in other spices: Try adding in other spices like nutmeg, allspice or cloves for a different flavor profile.
• Use different nuts: You could also use pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts instead of walnuts.
• Add in dried fruit: Mix in some diced dried apricots, cranberries, or raisins for a sweet and tangy flavor combination.
• Make it vegan: Use a vegan cream cheese like Kite Hill brand in place of regular cream cheese. Swap the honey for vegan honey, or agave or maple syrup.
• Use different flavor extracts: Try using almond extract or orange extract instead of vanilla extract.

Storage & Freezing

Once processed, add the cream cheese to a clean, airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to one week.

You can also freeze honey walnut cream cheese! Add it to a freezer-safe, airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

FAQs

📖 Recipe