Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip is the perfect holiday appetizer to serve for any occasion or gathering. Made with simple ingredients and requiring no baking time, this easy cranberry appetizer is festive and the best balance of sweet, tart and spicy.
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When I tell you that this is my absolute new obsession, please listen to my words.
Spicy, creamy jalapeno cream cheese topped with a tart cranberry sauce is an absolute DREAM recipe for the upcoming holiday season.
Add it to your menu for Novembers AND Decembers because holy cow, my friend.
- Need an easy appetizer? Boom. It’s this.
- Need something that comes together quick? Also this.
- Want a dish that can be made early and assembled just before go time? You guessed it — this.
Also, this recipe is red and green, which makes it a perfect candidate for Christmas, even though you could very easily serve it at Thanksgiving, too.
Why I love this recipe:
The taste and combination of flavors here is just wonderful to me. There’s some heat, but it’s balanced with the creaminess. There’s tartness, but it finds balance with sweetness.
Overall, it’s a wonderfully satisfying bite, and it feels a bit like a cream cheese-pepper jelly situation… but with holiday vibes.
Y’all should know by now that I love an easy appetizer and anything that comes together quickly. This recipe is the epitome of that and takes hardly any time.
The one caveat that is your cream cheese needs to be room temperature so you can mix it up.
Another beautiful thing about this recipe is you can serve it with whatever dippers you like. We made crostini to go with it, but you could easily serve it with crackers or fresh sliced vegetables.
Whether you bring this to holiday parties or serve it before the Thanksgiving meal hits the table or make it to share with your family just because, you’re in for a treat.
Please note that this is NOT a chopped cranberry relish with jalapenos. This is a sweet-tart cranberry sauce that is served on top of a homemade jalapeno cream cheese.
Other easy appetizers to share for the holiday season: Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Cranberry Chutney | Bacon Wrapped Dates | Easy Cheese Ball | Baked Brie Bites
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or rubber spatula
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Saucepan
- Zester
- Citrus juicer
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get from the store to make this cranberry jalapeno dip:
- Cream cheese — I like to use full fat cream cheese, and all the recipes that I make because the consistency is better. The stabilizers and other things that are added to lower fat and fat cream cheese and make it to where it is less creamy.
- Jalapeño — we left the seeds in ours to get a nice little kick, but if you were concerned that this is going to be too spicy for you, use half or remove the seeds.
- Lemon — we need one for its zest to add some brightness in the cream cheese. Make sure it’s fresh and bright yellow.
- Spices — onion powder, garlic powder and kosher salt.
- Fresh parsley — for color and flavor. It goes into the cream cheese mixture, as well as serves as garnish. I like this better than using a green onion, which I found too pungent when paired with the cream cheese and cranberry.
- Fresh cranberries — you can use fresh or frozen cranberries. This cranberry sauce recipe does not jive with dried cranberries. Alternately, you could use canned cranberry sauce, leftover cranberry sauce OR store-bought cranberry sauce. Do whatever is best for you.
- Orange — we need a combination of orange juice and zest for the cranberry sauce. You could use lemon zest and lemon juice in a pinch for a different citrus vibe.
- Dark brown sugar — this is sweetener for the cranberry sauce. You could use light or dark brown sugar in it. I personally like the molasses content that is added. You can use white sugar and a pinch. I do not recommend using sugar substitutes.
- Spices — ground cinnamon and ground ginger are what flavor the cranberry sauce and are my personal favorite warming spices for things like this.
- Dippers — use whatever makes you happy and what you’ve got on hand! I made crostini to pair with this, but crackers, fresh veggies, etc. are all excellent choices, too.
How to make cranberry cream cheese dip:
Make the jalapeño cream cheese. Soften cream cheese, if you have not already. Add the chopped jalapeño, herbs, and salt and pepper.
You can mix this together with a hand mixer or you can use a rubber spatula if the cream cheese is truly soft and at room temperature.
Please do not mix this in a food processor or a blender. The cream cheese will become runny if you overmix it.
Make the cranberry sauce. Do this in a saucepan over the stove at medium heat. Throw all the ingredients in, and cook them down until the cranberries burst. It won’t take more than 10 minutes.
You can follow all the details in this recipe for one of our favorite cranberry sauces.
Assemble the dip. Spread the jalapeño cream cheese in an even layer over a plate, platter or bowl. Gently spoon the cranberry mixture on top of the cream cheese.
Garnish with additional fresh chopped parsley. You could also use fresh cilantro, if you prefer that.
Serve with your favorite dippers at room temperature.
How to store:
Store the cream cheese and cranberry sauces in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This is honestly one of the best holiday appetizer recipes because it is easy and quick. You can also make it in advance.
Here are some things that I might do if I were to make this during this time of year:
- Make it early and keep it cold. All the elements keep very well in the fridge so long as they are stored separately.
- Assemble just before serving.
- Have fun with the dippers. You can pair this with a variety and make it allergy friendly.
- Double the recipe for a crowd (or to have extra in your fridge… just in case!)
Frequently Asked Questions
No. I haven’t tried this recipe with a dairy free or vegan cream cheese and do not recommend it at this time.
Yes. While you could purchase jalapeno-flavored cream cheese at the store, I recommend making your own. I love the tartness of this cranberry sauce, but you could use canned or store-bought cranberry sauce in a pinch.
Quick tips and tricks to the best cranberry-jalapeno cream cheese dip recipe
- Make sure the temp is right. This is the part of the recipe that takes the longest. Literally. Set the cream cheese on the countertop for 30 to 45 minutes before you want to fix it.
- Mix it early. Feel free to mix everything in advance and keep it cold in the fridge and supper containers.
- How to store: store the cream cheese and the cranberry sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
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Here’s how you can make this easy Cranberry Dip at your home…
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Jalapeño Cream Cheese
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper diced (about 4T / ¼ cup)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
Quick Cranberry Sauce
- 6 oz. cranberries softened
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
- Jalapeño cream cheese recipe above
- ½ cup cranberry sauce
- Various dippers
Equipment
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Instructions
- Make the jalapeño cream cheese. Soften cream cheese, if you have not already. Place it into a large bowl. Add the chopped jalapeño, herbs, and salt and pepper. Mix together with a hand mixer or a rubber spatula until well-combined. Set aside.
- Make the cranberry sauce. Throw all the ingredients together in a saucepan over the stove at medium heat. Cook them down until the cranberries burst. It won’t take more than 10 minutes. You can follow all the details in this recipe for one of our favorite cranberry sauces.
- Assemble the dip. Spread the softened jalapeño cream cheese over a plate or a bowl. Top with dollop of cranberry sauce. Garnish with additional chopped parsley.
- Serve with your favorite dippers at room temperature.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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