Description
Spicy cranberry jalapeño dip delivers a perfect balance of tangy and heat from classic Mexican flavor profiles. Holiday gatherings and game day parties welcome this simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 12 oz (340 g) bag fresh cranberries
- 2 8 oz (226 g) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 fresh jalapenos, seeds removed, finely diced
- ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Pulse cranberries in a food processor to achieve a coarse, textured consistency without creating a puree.
- Mixing: Combine chopped cranberries with finely diced jalapenos, green onions, and fresh cilantro in a mixing bowl, incorporating lime juice and salt to enhance the flavor profile.
- Marinating: Refrigerate the cranberry mixture for a minimum of two hours, allowing the ingredients to meld and intensify their collective taste.
- Assembly: Spread softened cream cheese evenly across the base of a serving dish, creating a smooth foundation for the dip.
- Topping: Carefully layer the chilled cranberry mixture over the cream cheese, ensuring complete and visually appealing coverage.
- Finishing: Garnish with additional chopped cilantro or green onions, and serve alongside crisp crackers, golden tortilla chips, or thinly sliced toasted baguette for a delightful appetizer experience.
Notes
- Chop Cranberries Carefully: Use quick pulses in the food processor to maintain a coarse, chunky texture without creating a mushy puree.
- Manage Jalapeno Heat: Seed and remove white membranes from peppers to control spice level, allowing guests with different heat tolerances to enjoy the dip.
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Let the cranberry mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours, enabling ingredients to blend and develop a more complex taste profile.
- Serve at Optimal Temperature: Bring the dip to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving to enhance flavor and ensure a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg