Whipped slightly sweetened cream cheese topped with a sweet, tart, and spicy cranberry jalapeño mixture. The red and green colors are perfect for the holidays, and this recipe uses dried cranberries to make this easy to make year-round. This is a dip that people go crazy over!
This is one of my Appetizer recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
It may seem hard to believe, but the holidays are nearly upon us!
What do your holidays look like? Typically the entire month of December, we are fully booked with parties and gatherings, and we love it.
But whether I’m hosting a party/holiday, or attending one, I like to make this dip!
It’s the perfect blend of creamy, tart, and sweet, and easy to make.
Plus it can be made ahead of time, which is perfect for such a busy season!
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Dried cranberries – I like to use dried cranberries since they have a longer shelf life and are easy to find year-round.
- Jalapeños – I’ve only tested this recipe with fresh jalapeño peppers.
- Green onions – these add a hint of mild onion flavor.
- Cilantro – if cilantro tastes like soap to you, you can use parsley or a mix of parsley and mint instead.
- Granulated sugar – this adds a sweetness that balances the tart and spicy flavors of the cranberries and peppers.
- Salt – this recipe was developed and tested using kosher salt.
- Lime juice – I prefer the flavor of freshly squeezed juice, but bottled will also work.
- Apple cider vinegar – the tartness of the vinegar balances the sweetness.
- Cream cheese – the base of this dip, which adds a creamy subtle sweetness.
- Lemon juice – I prefer the flavor of freshly squeezed juice, but bottled will also work.
- Vanilla – this is optional, but I love the subtle flavor it adds.
- Powdered sugar – the amount of powdered sugar is listed as a range, because the exact amount will be up to you and your tastes.
How to make cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Rehydrate cranberries. Adding hot water to cover the cranberries will plump them up, so they’re juicy, rather than just chewy.
- Drain. Drain off the water, and pat the cranberries dry.
- Combine topping ingredients. Nothing fancy here, just stirring them together.
- Chill. Once everything is stirred together, cover and chill for at least an hour.
- Mix cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar until creamy.
- Drain. There will be a bit of liquid that’s settled in the cranberry mixture, and you need to drain that off, so your dip won’t be too liquid-y.
- Assemble. Spread cream cheese in an even layer and top with the drained cranberry topping.
Helpful Tip!
Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature (or close to it). Otherwise you’ll have a lot of trouble getting the cream cheese mixture to be smooth and creamy, and you’ll likely end up with a lumpy dip.
Variations of this recipe
- Milder – if you prefer a milder dip, use just one jalapeño. Keep in mind the smaller the pepper, typically, the more heat it’s packing, so opt for a larger one and use as much of it as you’d like.
- Spicier – for those who love heat, definitely use 2 jalapeños, don’t seed them, or add an additional pepper.
- Less sugar – if you’d like the cream cheese mixture to be less sweet, use just 1/2 cup of sugar, or you can cut it down even farther if you prefer.
- Cranberries – when fresh cranberries are in season, you can use those. Just mince them (or you can use a food processor if you’d like), and I would use an additional 1/4 cup of granulated sugar to account for the more tart fresh berry.
- Drizzle – for some fun flair, try drizzling the dip with some honey, hot honey, or balsamic glaze!
- Garnishes – I don’t typically garnish this dip, but you could use some whole cranberries, slices of jalapeño, a sprig or cilantro or mint, or some minced pistachios.
FAQ’s
Sure thing! Just mince them (or you can use a food processor if you’d like), and I would use an additional 1/4 cup of granulated sugar to account for the more tart fresh berry.
Making cream cheese dip ahead of time
This dip can definitely be made ahead, which is perfect for the busy holidays!
I do highly recommend storing the cream cheese mixture and cranberry mixture separately though, to prevent the red color bleeding into the cream cheese, and it becoming more liquid-y than intended.
Just mix up the cranberry mixture, and store it covered in the refrigerator, and do the same with the cream cheese mixture.
Then when ready to serve, assemble as directed!
Freezing
I don’t recommend freezing this dip, as the cream cheese’s texture can be altered and a bit grainy.
Storage
Leftover dip should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 3-4 days.
The longer it sits, the cream cheese will absorb more and more moisture, so it may be more liquid-y towards the end of the storage time.
My Favorite Hand Mixer!
I’ve had this mixer for years, and it still works just as well as it did the day I got it. It’s perfect for making this dip!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- hot water enough to cover cranberries in a bowl
- 1 or 2 fresh jalapeños seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 Tbsp minced cilantro
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed is best, but bottled will work too
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed is best, but bottled will work too
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional but recommended
- 1/2 – 1 cup powdered sugar amount depends on how sweet you want the cream cheese to be
Instructions
Soak cranberries
- Add dried cranberries to a small mixing bowl. Pour hot water over the cranberries until they're just covered.
- Let sit for 10-15 minutes to rehydrate a bit, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Make cranberry jalapeño mixture
- Roughly chop the cranberries and add them to a medium sized mixing bowl. To that bowl, add the minced jalapeños, green onions, cilantro, granulated sugar, salt, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar.
- Stir well, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to overnight), to allow the flavors to really come together.
Mix cream cheese
- To another mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract (if using), and powdered sugar.
- Beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until smooth and creamy. This can be done with a whisk, but it'll be an arm workout!
Assemble
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on a serving platter or shallow dish.
- Give the chilled cranberry mixture a good stir, then add to a mesh sieve or strainer and drain excess liquid.
- Spoon the drained cranberry mixture over the cream cheese, spreading it into an even layer.
Serve
- Serve immediately with crackers, baguette slices, crostini, pretzels, etc.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe serves 8, but please feel free to divide it into as many servings as you’d like.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Deb K says
Yummy, only used one block of cream cheese and it was devoured.