With the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, tart and creamy, this Cranberry Jalapeno Dip is the perfect appetizer for any holiday gathering. Best of all it is very easy to make and can even be made a day or two in advance.
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This dip has quickly become my go-to holiday appetizer. I love that it's full of light and fresh flavors which helps to save some room for the big meal later in the day 😂
With a unique flavor combination, this dip is a great addition to any appetizer spread and would even go great on my fall charcuterie board so be sure to check that out.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
The ingredients for this dip are all readily available and many can be substituted to accommodate dietary restrictions or your tastebuds!
- Fresh Cranberries
- Jalapeno Peppers or hot pepper of your choice
- Green Onions
- Cilantro (omit this if you don't like it)
- Sugar or sugar substitute
- Lime Juice
- Salt
- Cream Cheese you can use any variety of plain cream cheese that you like. Including reduced fat, fat-free, or vegan cream cheese substitute.
- Crackers for serving. Be sure to check out my homemade low-carb Almond Butter Crackers!
See the recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Using a food processor makes this recipe so much easier. If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the cranberries by hand or even use a blender or manual food chopper.
In addition to a food processor, you should also have measuring cups/spoons, a mixing bowl, and dish for serving (I used a pie plate), a rubber spatula
Before you get started ...
Before you get started make sure to clean all of the produce. Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapenos, and chop the green onions and cilantro.
Instructions
When I say that this Cranberry Jalapeno Dip is easy, I mean it! Just a few minutes of hands-on time and it's ready to go.
Add the cranberries and jalapenos to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times, until the cranberries are finely chopped up, but not pureed. Scrape the bowl of the processor down after every couple of pulses.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the cranberry and jalapeno mixture with the green onions, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Mix well, then allow the mixture to chill for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
Note: If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the cranberries and jalapenos by hand or use a manual food chopper.
Spread the cream cheese into an even layer on the bottom of the pie plate
Pour the cranberry mixture over the cream cheese. Spread it out evenly.
Serve the dip with your favorite crackers and enjoy!
Variations
Here are some of my favorite ways to change up this recipe:
- Spicy - Add more jalapenos or spicier peppers. Serrano or habanero are both great options.
- Cranberry Salsa - To make this into a delicious cranberry salsa simply omit the cream cheese and serve it with tortilla chips.
- Low Carb - To make this dip low carb just swap the sugar for your favorite sugar substitute (I like Lakanto) and serve with low carb crackers.
Right now you can get 10% off of all Lakanto products with the code "THISMOMSMENU" when you order from the Lakanto Website!
Storage
You can store this dip for up to a week in the fridge. If you prefer to make it in advance, it is best to stop at step 2 until you are ready to serve.
I don't suggest freezing this dip.
FAQs
Most crackers will be great to serve with this dip. I've used wheat thins, ritz, and plain wheat crackers.
Top tips:
- If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the cranberries and jalapenos by hand or use a manual food chopper.
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 12 oz Fresh Cranberries rinsed
- 2 Jalapeno Peppers ribs and seeds removed
- 2 Green Onions cleaned and finely sliced
- ¼ cup Cilantro cleaned and diced
- ½ cups Sugar or sugar substitute (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoon Lime Juice
- pinch Salt
- 16 oz Cream Cheese softened
- Crackers optional, for serving
Instructions
- Add the cranberries and jalapenos to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times, until the cranberries are chopped up, but not pureed.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the cranberry and jalapeno mixture with the green onions, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Mix well, then allow the mixture to chill for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
- Spread the cream cheese into an even layer on the bottom of the pie plate.
- Top the cream cheese with the cranberry mixture. Garnish with additional chopped green onions or cilantro if desired.
- Serve with your favorite crackers and enjoy!
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
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