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A white plate with a cranberry cream cheese dip surrounded by round crackers.
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Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

A fresh cranberry salsa made with jalapeños, cilantro, and green onions that's placed atop a spread of cream cheese. This is such a delicious, festive, and unique holiday appetizer! Cater this recipe to your desired heat level by either keeping or tossing the japaleno seeds.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 20 servings
Calories 167kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 4 green onions chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/3 cup cilantro slightly packed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno seeded and deveined for less heat. Keep seeds for more heat
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1/2 lemon
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor, add the cranberries. Pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, and lemon juice. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped. Place the mixture into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. (see note #1)
  • In a 9-9 ½ inch pie plate (or a serving plate of your choosing), spread the cream cheese in an even layer. I recommend using a serving plate of some kind that has a lip to it so that any extra juices will be trapped and not spread all over the place.
  • Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cranberry cilantro mixture over the cream cheese. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. Serve with crackers.

Notes

Do not over blend or over pulse the mixture! If you do, the thick dip consistency will be lost and you'll essentially have a juice consistency. You want the cranberries to be in small bits but not blended to a juice.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
If making in advance, don't put the cranberry jalapeño salsa on top of the cream cheese until just prior to serving. Store this cranberry dip covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freeze the cranberry salsa and not the cream cheese. The cranberry salsa will stay good in the freezer up to 3 months in an airtight container or Ziplock bag. Upon thawing, drain off any excess liquid and spread on top of cream cheese to serve.
Store this cranberry dip covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.2mg