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.
1tablespoonchopped jalapenoseeded and deveined for less heat. Keep seeds for more heat
1cupgranulated sugar
1/4teaspooncumin
1 1/2tablespoonslemon juiceabout 1/2 lemon
16 ozcream cheesesoftened 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 FreezingIf 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.