Description
This Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is a festive and flavorful appetizer featuring a creamy, tart, slightly spicy, and sweet fresh cranberry salsa layered atop whipped cream cheese. Perfect for holiday parties, it pairs wonderfully with crackers, pita chips, or tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Scale
Fresh Salsa
- 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro
- 3 green onions
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Cream Cheese Layer
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (softened and whipped)
Instructions
- Chop Ingredients: Use a hand chopper or food processor to finely chop the fresh cranberries, jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions. If using a food processor, use the pulse function to prevent pureeing the cranberries. Alternatively, hand chop everything into small pieces.
- Mix and Refrigerate: Transfer the chopped mixture into a bowl. Add sugar, salt, and optional lemon juice. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld.
- Strain Mixture: When ready to serve, strain the cranberry salsa in a colander with small openings to remove most of the juices. This step is important to ensure the dip isn’t too runny.
- Whip Cream Cheese: Place the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy using a mixer or hand whisk.
- Assemble Dip: Spread the whipped cream cheese evenly on the bottom of a pie plate, serving platter, or plate. Spoon the strained cranberry salsa over the cream cheese layer.
- Serve: Serve immediately with crackers, pita chips, or tortilla chips as a festive appetizer.
Notes
- For a milder dip, remove the seeds from the jalapeno before chopping.
- Letting the cranberry salsa refrigerate overnight enhances the flavors and sweetness.
- Make sure to strain the salsa well to avoid a watery dip.
- Use softened cream cheese for easier whipping and a smoother texture.
- This dip pairs well with a variety of chips or crunchy veggies for dipping.
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
