Oklahoma Food Trend – Cream Cheese Chili Cheese Dogs

Over the last couple of years, it seems that cream cheese has been slowly making its way into all sorts of dishes in Oklahoma.

Cream cheese crack chicken, used as a thickener for heavier soups, I've even experimented with cream cheese in my chili once--I went a little too heavy on the cayenne and the cream cheese totally tamed it down without being weird... but cream cheese on a hot dog?

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I've seen more than a few discussions online about it across social media lately and fans of it swear it's the only way to have a chili dog.

Fat equals flavor and if that's where we're at in the adventures of Okie food, why not? I have a nephew who likes mayo on his hot dogs, probably similar, right?

The Origins

Apparently, cream cheese on a hot dog is a very Seattle thing. That's how they eat their hot dogs in the Pacific Northwest. Like all things do, it traveled to Oklahoma more than a few years ago.

I think the first place I noticed it on a menu was Eskimo Joe's up in Stilly. Nobody was brave enough to try it then, but lets admit it, who goes to Joe's for anything other than cheese-fries and a fowl thing?

It hit the Oklahoma State and Tulsa fairs once or twice in the last few years, but it was overshadowed by chocolate-covered bacon and pickle pizza. By all accounts, including our own social media poll, nobody has first-hand experience with the buzzed-about cream cheese chili dog.

@riannich #chilicheesedog #hotdog #foodtiktok ♬ original sound - Rian

With only a handful of cold days left this spring, it might be worth exploring a bit at home. Maybe even make your own compound cream cheese. How weird and awful could it actually be?

Have you had it? Or would you even try it?