This simple cranberry jalapeno dip is just the right amount of sweet, spicy, and tart. It's It's an amazing flavor combination that will have you wanting to dip in cracker after cracker and make this dip year after year!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe. The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the bottom of the page.
- Fresh cranberries
- Green onions
- Jalapeno
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Cream cheese
Instructions
Here's how to make this recipe in 5 simple steps:
- Prepare the cranberries: pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. You can also do this by hand.
- Make the topping: in a medium bowl, stir together all of the remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese (green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, honey, lemon juice, salt).
- Refrigerate: refrigerate the mix, covered, for 30-60 minutes. Taste and add additional honey, lemon or salt if desired. Drain or strain any excess liquid.
- Make the dip: spread the cream cheese in a bowl, pie plate, or baking dish that’s about 9-10” wide. Then spread the cranberry mix on top. The larger the dish, the thinner your layers of dip will be.
- Serve: enjoy! Serve cold and with a side of crackers for dipping.
Substitutions
Here's some of the most popular substitutions and additions for this recipe:
- Jalapeno: feel free to use more or less than 1 jalapeno to turn up or down the spice in this recipe.
- Honey: swap this out for white sugar. Add more to taste; the sweetness is meant to balance out the tartness and spiciness this recipe.
- Lemon: lime is a tasty substitution.
- Cumin: ½ teaspoon of cumin is a popular addition to this recipe and adds earthiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time; but add the cranberry mixture on top of the cream cheese no more than an hour before serving.
This recipe has a mild spice level. How spicy it will be will also depend on your jalapeno, which can vary in spiciness. Feel free to add more or less jalapeno to dial up or down the spice.
This dip is best served cold as an appetizer. It's especially popular for the holidays, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. You could serve it as an appetizer before dinner or leave it out for grazing at a party.
You can, but they will likely have a chunkier texture. For a finer texture, use a food processor or blender. How large or small you want your cranberries chopped comes down to personal preference (a chunky dip is tasty too)!
Equipement
You can chop your cranberries by hand or use a food processor or blender. If you use a food processor, you'll be able to chop them smaller and save some time. Here's our favorite one to use: Food Processor.
Storage
Store your dip, covered, in the fridge until it's ready to serve. Leftovers also will stay good for about 4-5 days (covered, in the fridge).
Similar Recipes
For more appetizer ideas, check out these favorites:
- Oven Baked Jalapeno Poppers
- Classic Cheese Ball
- Charcuterie Wreath
- Or check out all of our appetizer ideas here: All Appetizers
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & rating at the bottom of this page!
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Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
This simple cranberry jalapeno dip is just the right amount of sweet, spicy, and tart. It's It's an amazing flavor combination that will have you wanting to dip in cracker after cracker and make this dip year after year!
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, stem & seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons honey, or more to taste (or sugar)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (regular or light)
- Crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the cranberries: pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. You can also do this by hand.
- Make the topping: in a medium bowl, stir together all of the remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese (green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, honey, lemon juice, salt).
- Refrigerate: refrigerate the mix, covered, for 30-60 minutes. Taste and add additional honey, lemon or salt if desired. Drain or strain any excess liquid.
- Make the dip: spread the cream cheese in a bowl, pie plate, or baking dish that’s about 9-10” wide. Then spread the cranberry mix on top. The larger the dish, the thinner your layers of dip will be.
- Serve: enjoy! Serve cold and with a side of crackers for dipping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cream cheese, dip, cranberry, fall, winter, thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday, appetizer, snack, crackers, jalapeno
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