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Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

Cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip pairs a cool, creamy base with a tangy-sweet cranberry topping and a little heat. The topping is finely chopped, chilled, drained, and spooned over softened cream cheese for an easy party appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cranberry topping
  • 1 bag (12 oz) cranberries fresh, rinsed and dried
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and roughly chopped
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped fresh
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
For the cream cheese base
  • 2 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Make the cranberry topping
  1. Pulse the cranberries and jalapeño in a food processor until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.
  2. Transfer the cranberry mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the green onions, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt until combined.
  3. Cover and refrigerate the cranberry mixture for at least 2 hours. Set the cream cheese out during the last 30 minutes.
  4. Drain the cranberry mixture in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes.
Assemble the dip
  1. Unwrap the cream cheese blocks and place them side by side on a serving plate.
  2. Spoon the drained cranberry mixture over the cream cheese and serve.

Notes

Drain the cranberry mixture well so the topping stays on the cream cheese instead of becoming watery. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free cream cheese.