Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip 🌶️🍒✨
A perfect holiday appetizer—sweet-tart cranberries meet spicy jalapeños, fresh herbs, and smooth cream cheese.
Ingredients
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (leave some seeds for extra heat)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of salt
16 oz cream cheese, softened
Crackers, pita chips, or baguette slices (for serving)
Instructions
Prepare Cranberry Mixture:
In a food processor, pulse cranberries until finely chopped (not pureed). Transfer to a bowl.
Mix Flavors:
Add sugar, diced jalapeño, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, and salt. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). This allows the flavors to meld and the sugar to mellow the cranberries.
Assemble Dip:
Spread softened cream cheese evenly on a serving platter or dish. Spoon the cranberry-jalapeño mixture over the top.
Serve:
Pair with crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted baguette slices.
✨ Tips:
For a lighter version, swap cream cheese with whipped goat cheese or Greek yogurt cream cheese.
Make ahead! The cranberry mixture can be made up to 2 days in advance—just assemble before serving.
Servings: ~10
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 15 minutes active + chilling