Description
A festive and flavorful Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip featuring fresh cranberry salsa with a balance of tartness, sweetness, and a hint of spice atop whipped cream cheese. Perfect for holiday parties and appetizer trays, served with crackers or chips.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Salsa
- 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro
- 3 green onions
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Cream Cheese Base
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened and whipped
Instructions
- Chop Ingredients: Use a hand chopper or food processor on pulse to chop the fresh cranberries, jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions into small pieces, avoiding pureeing.
- Mix and Refrigerate: Combine the chopped mixture in a bowl with sugar, salt, and optional lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let flavors meld.
- Strain Salsa: When ready to serve, strain the cranberry mixture in a fine colander to remove most of the juices, preventing the dip from becoming too watery.
- Whip Cream Cheese: Place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Assemble Dip: Spread the whipped cream cheese evenly on a serving plate or pie plate, then spoon the strained cranberry salsa evenly atop the cream cheese layer.
- Serve: Serve immediately with crackers, pita chips, or tortilla chips as a festive appetizer.
Notes
- Use the pulse function on the food processor to avoid pureeing cranberries; hand chopping is a good alternative.
- Straining the cranberry mixture is essential to prevent excess liquid in the dip.
- For a less spicy version, remove seeds from the jalapeno before chopping.
- The dip can be prepared a day ahead for flavors to develop.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 79 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg
