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–+ servings
Cranberry Cream cheese dip on a Ritz cracker held up in someone's hand.
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5 from 5 votes

Jalapeno Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is one of my all-time favorite holiday appetizers! People go CRA-ZY for this stuff! Fresh cranberries are chopped up with jalapeños, green onions, and mint (or cilantro) to be salsa-like, then it's served over whipped cream cheese with crackers. It tastes so FRESH, and is perfectly festive for the holidays because it's red, green, and a lil sparkly! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years Eve.
Prep Time15 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 237kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries 1 bag
  • 2 green onions both green and white parts
  • 2 jalapeños seeds and membranes removed
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves packed (see note for options)
  • 1 large lime juiced (about 3-4 tablespoons)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon*
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom* optional; can replace with cinnamon
  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened (2 blocks)
  • crackers or baguettes for serving

Instructions

  • Set out 2 blocks of cream cheese to soften on the counter.
  • Make the cranberry mixture: Add 12 ounces cranberries to a food processor. Roughly chop 2 green onions, both the white and the green parts, all the way to each end, and add it to the food processor.
  • Slice 2 jalapeños in half lengthwise. Use a small knife to carefully remove the white membranes and all the seeds. Roughly chop the jalapeño halves, and add to the cranberries.
  • Roughly chop a handful of mint leaves and pack them into a 1/4 measuring cup. Keep chopping until you have a packed 1/4 cup. Add to the food processor. (see note for alternative herb ideas, this dip is also GREAT with cilantro.)
  • Chop the lime in half and squeeze all of the juice into the food processor.
  • Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. (It is quite subtle, but if you really don't like cardamom, skip it and increase your cinnamon to 1/2 teaspoon).
  • Use the pulse button on your food processor to chop the cranberries and other ingredients. Pulse in 1-2 second intervals. Scrape down the sides occasionally. You do not want to pulverize or puree this mixture; we are going for a chunky salsa texture. Stop when you have homogenous small pieces. (This is why I take the time to roughly chop most of the veggies before adding them to the food processor: I don't want any big chunks.)
  • Optional: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the cranberry mixture for 4 hours or up to 2 days. This helps marry the flavors. (I tried both marinating and eating a batch right away, and didn't think it was such a big difference that I'm calling this a mandatory step. If you have time, do it, if not, don't sweat it. It is handy to have it made ahead of time though, especially for a holiday party!)
  • Whip the cream cheese: Add 2 blocks of softened cream cheese to a large bowl or stand mixer.** Beat with the whisk attachment (if you have one) until it is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides.
  • Set a strainer over a bowl. Add the cranberry mixture to the strainer. There should be plenty of juice that lands in the bowl below. Add 2 tablespoons juice to the bowl with the cream cheese. Beat the juice into the cream cheese, scraping the sides, until is it smooth, soft, and creamy.
  • Spoon the cream cheese onto a plate or shallow bowl and spread it around, making a well in the middle. (Serving this in a pie plate is handy, especially if you are traveling.) Add all the strained juice back into the cranberries and stir. Spoon the cranberries over the cream cheese.
  • Serve with crackers, pita chips, pretzels, or toasted baguette slices. I love butter crackers like Ritz or Club crackers. If you like pita chips, try Stacy's Cinnamon Pita Chips, it's a great sweet addition. Pretzel crisps (those large, flattened pretzels) are great for dipping. If you do baguettes, toast the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet at 450 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, flipping each toast once halfway, until crisp.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in a covered tupperware in the fridge. If it is very juicy, you might consider straining it before storing, or strain before serving again.

Notes

*As written, this recipe trends in the "sweet" direction. The mint, cinnamon, and cardamom contribute to this. I love how fresh it tastes. Traditionally, this recipe calls for cilantro instead of mint, which I also LOVE. It gives the dip more of a savory twist. If you want to take the dip in that direction, make these changes:
  • 1/4 cup cilantro (to replace mint)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin (to replace 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and cardamom)
  • Consider reducing the sugar to 1/2 cup, but taste it and see what you like.
 
**You can skip these whipping steps if you are in a hurry! Simply open your block of softened cream cheese, set it on a plate, and dump the cranberry mixture over the top. I prefer a smoother, creamier texture, (and it's easier to dip into) which is why I beat it first, but it's not totally necessary if you are in a hurry.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.3mg