Description
Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is a festive and flavorful appetizer featuring a creamy base of whipped cream cheese topped with a fresh, tangy, slightly spicy cranberry jalapeno salsa. Perfect for holiday parties and gatherings, this dip combines tart fresh cranberries, spicy jalapeno, and fragrant cilantro for a deliciously unique treat.
Ingredients
Scale
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 Base
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese (softened and whipped)
Instructions
- Chop Ingredients: Use a hand chopper or food processor with pulse setting to chop fresh cranberries, jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions into small pieces, taking care not to puree the cranberries. Alternatively, finely hand chop all ingredients.
- Mix and Refrigerate: Transfer the chopped mixture to a bowl, add sugar, salt, and optional lemon juice. Stir to combine, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let flavors meld.
- Drain Excess Juice: When ready to serve, strain the cranberry salsa using a colander with small openings to remove most of the juices; this prevents the dip from becoming watery.
- Prepare Cream Cheese: Place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip it with a mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Assemble Dip: Spread the whipped cream cheese evenly on a pie plate, serving platter, or plate. Spoon the drained cranberry salsa mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Serve: Serve the dip chilled alongside crackers, pita chips, or tortilla chips for dipping.
Notes
- The pulsing technique when chopping helps maintain texture by preventing the cranberries from turning into a puree.
- Straining the salsa is essential to avoid a watery dip and achieve the perfect topping consistency.
- For a milder dip, remove the seeds from the jalapeno before chopping.
- This dip can be made a day ahead to allow flavors to meld better.
- Serve chilled and keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy.
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
