Description
This festive 10-Minute Cranberry Jalapeno Dip is a creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings or any party. Combining whipped dairy-free or regular cream cheese with fresh jalapeños, red onions, and zesty lime, it’s topped with vibrant cranberry sauce and green onions for a burst of flavor and color. Quick to prepare and easy to customize, it pairs wonderfully with crackers, chips, or baguette slices for a crowd-pleasing dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 2 (8 oz) containers dairy-free cream cheese (Kite Hill recommended) or regular cream cheese
- 2 fresh jalapeños, seeds removed and finely diced
- 2-3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, plus more for garnish
Topping
- 1 (14 oz) can cranberry sauce with whole berries
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese: Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Using a handheld mixer, whip the cream cheese until it reaches a light, fluffy texture similar to whipped cream cheese.
- Mix Ingredients: Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, lime juice, diced jalapeños, diced red onions, and chopped green onions to the whipped cream cheese. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Assemble the Dip: Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a serving platter, spreading it out evenly to form a smooth layer.
- Add Cranberry Sauce: Spoon the cranberry sauce over the top of the cream cheese layer and gently spread it using a spoon to cover evenly, creating a distinct top layer.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle additional chopped green onions over the cranberry sauce for garnish. Serve immediately with your choice of crackers or chips.
Notes
- Dairy: Regular cream cheese can be used if a dairy-free option is not required.
- Gluten-Free: Pair with gluten-free crackers like Simple Mills rosemary or sea salt crackers to keep the dish gluten-free.
- Food Processor: For convenience, a food processor can be used instead of a handheld mixer to whip the cream cheese and combine ingredients.
- Make Ahead: The cream cheese mixture can be prepared up to 3-4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Add the cranberry sauce just before serving to keep the layers distinct and fresh.
- Double Batch: This recipe can be easily doubled to accommodate larger groups or holiday parties.
- Serving & Storage: Serve with crackers, pretzel chips, pita chips, tortilla chips, potato chips, baguette slices, and more. Leftover dip should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
