A vibrant and creamy Cranberry Jalapeno Dip combining tart fresh cranberries with the subtle heat of jalapeno, balanced by creamy cheese and a touch of honey. Perfect for serving with crackers or pita chips at gatherings or as a festive appetizer.
Total Time:15 minutes
Yield:12 servings
Ingredients
Dip Base
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Cranberry Jalapeno Mixture
2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cranberries
3 green onions, chopped, green parts separated from whites
1 small jalapeno, seeded and membrane removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar, plus more for drizzling
1/8 teaspoon salt
Garnish
Flaky sea salt such as Maldon® (optional)
Crackers or pita chips for serving
Instructions
Prepare Cranberry Mixture: In a food processor, combine the cranberries, white parts of green onions, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, honey, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and well combined.
Strain Excess Liquid: Transfer the cranberry mixture to a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and allow the liquid to drain out, preserving the chunky cranberry mixture for topping.
Whip Cream Cheese Base: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream until the mixture is fluffy, smooth, and creamy.
Assemble Dip: Spread the whipped cream cheese mixture evenly onto a serving platter to create the base layer.
Add Cranberry Topping: Spoon the strained cranberry mixture over the cream cheese base evenly.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top (if using), garnish with the green parts of the chopped green onions, and drizzle additional honey if desired. Serve immediately with crackers or pita chips.
Notes
Use thawed frozen cranberries if fresh are not in season or available.
Adjust the jalapeno quantity according to your preferred spice level or leave seeds for extra heat.
Honey can be substituted with agave nectar to keep the dip vegan-friendly.
The creamy base can be made lighter by using reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
For a dairy-free version, replace cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream with plant-based alternatives.
Drain the cranberry mixture well to avoid a watery dip.
This dip can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours to meld flavors.
