Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip Recipe
This Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is a vibrant, flavorful appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime you want a zesty, sweet, and creamy dip. Fresh cranberries are finely chopped and mixed with green onions, jalapeños, cilantro, sugar, lemon juice, and salt, then chilled overnight to blend flavors. The mixture is strained to remove excess liquid, which can be saved as a cocktail syrup, and then layered over whipped cream cheese. Serve chilled with crackers for a delightful combination of creamy, spicy, and tangy tastes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 20 minutes (including overnight chilling)
- Yield: Approximately 12 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dip Mixture
- 12 oz fresh, uncooked cranberries
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- 1–2 fresh jalapeño peppers, chopped
- 2 Tbsp cilantro (optional), chopped
- 3/4 to 1 cup sugar, according to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Layer
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened and whipped
Instructions
- Chop the Ingredients: Use a food chopper or food processor to finely chop the 12 oz of fresh cranberries. Chop the green onion, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro into small pieces to prepare for mixing.
- Combine the Mixture: In a medium-sized bowl, add the chopped cranberries, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeños. Sprinkle 3/4 to 1 cup sugar (adjust based on your sweetness preference), lemon juice, and salt over the mixture. Stir gently until the ingredients are well blended.
- Refrigerate Overnight: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the sugar to soften the cranberries.
- Strain the Mixture: The next day, take the cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir it well. Using a colander with small holes, strain out all the liquid from the mixture. (Pro Tip: Save the strained liquid to use as a delicious cocktail simple syrup.)
- Whip the Cream Cheese: Using a hand mixer, whip the softened cream cheese for about 2 minutes until it becomes smooth and fluffy. Spread the whipped cream cheese evenly over the bottom of a pie plate or 9×9-inch dish.
- Assemble the Dip: Pour the drained cranberry mixture on top of the whipped cream cheese layer and smooth it out. Keep the assembled dip refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Serve: Use a spoon to scoop the dip onto Ritz crackers or your favorite crunchy dippers and enjoy the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and spicy flavors.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of jalapeños depending on your preferred spice level.
- The sugar quantity can be adjusted to balance the tartness of cranberries.
- Chilling overnight is essential for flavor development.
- Use softened cream cheese for easier whipping and better texture.
- Save the strained cranberry liquid for creative uses such as cocktails or soda mixers.
Keywords: cranberry dip, jalapeno cream cheese dip, holiday appetizer, no-cook dip, spicy sweet dip
