Easy Creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
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Don’t miss your chance to grab fresh cranberries before the season ends — you’ll need them for today’s irresistible recipe! If you’re looking for a festive holiday appetizer or a thoughtful neighbor gift, this Creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is the perfect choice. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and creamy all at once — guaranteed to be a hit at any holiday party or family gathering.
If you’ve ever tried the popular version from Costco, you already know how delicious this dip can be. But trust me — this homemade version tastes even better! It starts with a simple cranberry jalapeño relish made right in your food processor. After a quick blend of cranberries, jalapeños, green onions, cilantro, and fresh lime juice, the relish chills in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight) to let the flavors develop.
Once the relish is ready, it’s folded into a rich, creamy mixture of softened cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream. You can serve it right away or store it in the fridge for several days — perfect for making ahead for holiday events. This dip is delicious with crackers, baguette slices, or pretzel crisps (my personal favorite). It’s the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and creamy in every bite!
Ingredients for Easy Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
- FRESH CRANBERRIES
- GREEN ONIONS
- JALAPENO PEPPER
- SUGAR
- CILANTRO
- LIME JUICE
- SALT
- CREAM CHEESE
- SOUR CREAM
- HEAVY CREAM
Instructions for Easy Creamy Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Prepare the Cranberry Relish
- Chop the Cranberries: Add fresh cranberries to a food processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped.
- Add Green Onions: Trim off the root ends of the green onions and discard. Coarsely chop the white and green parts, then add them to the food processor.
- Prep the Jalapeño: Remove the stem from the jalapeño pepper and slice it in half. For a milder dip, remove the seeds; for extra heat, keep some of the seeds intact. Coarsely chop the jalapeño and add it to the food processor.
- Add Flavor: To the food processor, add sugar, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Pulse everything together until the ingredients are finely chopped and well combined.
- Chill for Flavor: Transfer the cranberry relish to a covered container and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (or up to 24 hours) to allow the flavors to meld and the sugar to dissolve. This step is crucial for developing that sweet-tangy flavor.
Prepare the Creamy Base
- Whip the Cream Cheese: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add Sour Cream & Heavy Cream: Add sour cream and heavy cream to the whipped cream cheese. Mix on medium speed for another 1 to 2 minutes until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
Assemble the Dip
- Drain the Cranberry Relish: Remove the cranberry relish from the refrigerator and drain off any excess liquid to prevent the dip from becoming watery.
- Mix It All Together: Gently fold the cranberry mixture into the whipped cream cheese mixture. You can use the mixer on low speed to blend it evenly, but be careful not to overmix.
Serve and Enjoy
- Transfer to a Bowl: Scoop the creamy cranberry jalapeño dip into a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh cranberries, extra cilantro, or a lime wedge for a festive presentation.
- Serve It Up: Pair the dip with crackers, pretzel chips, tortilla chips, pita chips, or baguette slices. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, spicy, and creamy flavors!
This Creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is a show-stopping appetizer that’s perfect for holiday gatherings, parties, or any occasion where you want to impress your guests. It’s sweet, spicy, and oh-so-creamy — a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Want to give this as a holiday gift? Here’s how you can package it up to create a beautiful, festive gift that’s ready to share with friends, family, and neighbors. It’s just like the homemade cheese spread I shared last year!
GIVE As a Neighbor Gift
Choose Your Containers
Start by selecting the right containers for your dip. 8 oz deli containers are a great option because they’re sturdy, stackable, and secure. You can purchase a pack of 50 from Amazon for around $15.95, which makes it affordable if you’re gifting multiple people. For portion size, I recommend filling each container with 5 oz of dip — it’s just the right amount for a shareable, snackable gift. If you have a kitchen scale, it’s a handy tool for weighing out consistent portions.
Label Your Gift
Add a personal touch by labeling your dip containers. I found a free printable label from Shaken Together Life, which adds a festive and polished look to each container. If you have clear printable sticker sheets, you can print the labels directly onto the stickers for a seamless, professional look. Simply cut out the labels and place them on the lids or sides of each container. If you don’t have sticker sheets, you can print the labels on regular paper and attach them with tape or glue.
Add Crackers for Pairing
To make your gift extra special, pair the dip with a package of crackers. Here are a few options:
Grocery Store Crackers: If you’re shopping at a regular grocery store, pick up Ritz, Town House, or Club crackers, which come in sleeves inside their packaging. This makes it easy to include a pre-wrapped sleeve of crackers with the dip.
Entertaining Cracker Packs: Look for variety packs from Sam’s Club or Costco. Sam’s Club offers a package with 12 individual sleeves of different crackers for around $10. Costco sells an assortment of 4 larger boxes of crackers within one large box.
Assemble the Gift Package
Here’s how to bring everything together:
- Use a Cellophane Bag: Place the container of dip and a sleeve of crackers in a cellophane bag. I recommend using a 9 x 15-inch cellophane bag. If you only have larger bags (like 11 x 17 inches), you can fold or tape the sides to make it fit better.
- Tie It All Together: Seal the top of the bag with red curling ribbon or festive twine. For an extra touch, attach a holiday gift tag or sticker. This makes the gift look polished and ready to give.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:
- Quick Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly
- Cranberry-Chili Cheese Spread
- Sparking Cranberry Cider Punch
- Cranberry Salsa
Easy Creamy Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 6 ounces fresh cranberries about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 green onions
- 1 small jalapeño
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp fresh cilantro small handful
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- Pinch of salt
- 32 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- additional fresh cranberries for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add the fresh cranberries to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Cut the root end of the green onions and throw away, Then coarsely chop the green and white parts. Add to the food processor.
- Cut off the stem of the jalapeño and slice the pepper in half. Remove seeds ( or keep some of them to add more heat). Coarsely chop and add to the food processor or blender.
- Add sugar, cilantro, lime juice and salt to the food processor blender. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped. Scrape the cranberry relish into a covered container. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (or up to 24 hours). This allows the flavors develop and sugar dissolves.
- With an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until very light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the sour cream and heavy cream and mix for another 1 to 2 minutes until well-combined and creamy.
- Drain off the excess liquid from the refrigerated cranberry relish. Fold the relish to the whipped cream cheese and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
- Transfer the cranberry dip to a serving bowl and fresh cranberries, if desired. Serve with crackers, pretzel chips, or baguette slices.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
