Creamy, tart, sweet, and spicy, our cream cheese cranberry jalapeno dip is the perfect appetizer for the winter holidays.
But if you’re a cranberry lover like me, grab a bag of frozen cranberries to enjoy this delicious dip all year long!
My first time seeing a cranberry and jalapeno dip was shopping at Costco. They were giving out samples, and it was love at first bite. That got me into the kitchen to create my own copycat version of this flavorful, simple dip.
And I have to say that my version of this flavorful dip is even better than Costco’s!
Bursting with flavor, this creamy, crunchy, sweet-tart dip with just a hint of heat is guaranteed to be a hit with your friends and family.
If you love cranberries, make sure to try our cranberry pound cake and oatmeal cranberry cookie recipes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients needed to make our creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Dip recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
What can I substitute for cream cheese?
If you’re not a fan of cream cheese, you can make the creamy version and use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (or a combination of both) to replace the cream cheese. The dip will be a little looser, but it will still be delicious.
How to Make Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Follow along with my easy numbered instructions to see how to make cranberry jalepeno dip at home.
Rinse the fresh cranberries and jalapeno peppers with cold running water.
- Destem and deseed the jalapeno peppers.
*Wear gloves; the seeds have the most heat. - Add the whole cranberries and granulated sugar to a food processor bowl.
- Pulse (4 or 5 times) the mixture until the cranberries are coarsely chopped and the sugar is combined.
*Do not puree the berries. - Add the jalapeño peppers, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt, cilantro, and green onions to the cranberry mixture.
- Pulse the ingredients 4 – 5 times.
*If you prefer a smoother mixture, pulse until your desired consistency. - Pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, allowing time for the flavors to combine (overnight is best).
- Remove the cranberry jalapeno mixture from the refrigerator and stir well.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the excess liquid.
*Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to press out any remaining liquid. Reserve the liquid for later.
- Remove a block of cream cheese from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before making the dip to allow it to soften.
*For smoother cream cheese, use an electric hand mixer to whip it until smooth and creamy, or use whipped cream cheese instead of block. - Place the softened cream cheese in the bottom of a 9” round pie plate or serving dish.
- Spread the cream cheese in an even layer to cover the bottom of the serving dish and set aside until needed.
- Spread the cranberry and jalapeno mixture in an even layer on top of the cream cheese.
- Garnish with cilantro, parsley, fresh cranberries, or lemon circles.
The unique combination of flavors makes this festive dip as beautiful as it is delicious! It’s the perfect holiday party appetizer!
Serve our cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip with crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, or any of your favorite dippers.
To make a creamy cranberry jalapeño dip, whip the cranberry mixture with the cream cheese until well blended. This colorful festive dip will be the hit of your next holiday get-together.
Store any leftover dip refrigerated in an airtight container or well-sealed with plastic wrap for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Frozen cranberries are a great alternative to fresh cranberries during the times of year when they aren’t available.
Absolutely. Use dairy-free cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese to make the recipe.
Actually, you can. Add all of the ingredients except for the cream cheese and cranberry sauce to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Mix the ingredients with a can of whole-berry cranberry sauce and add it to the bowl of softened cream cheese, or whip it all together for a creamy version of the dip.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 – 3 jalapenos more or less depending on your heat preference
- 16 ounce cream cheese -softened or whipped cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup granulated sugar for a sweet dip use ¾ cup of sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoon green onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro -finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the fresh cranberries and jalapenos with cold running water.
- Destem and deseed the jalapenos.*Wear gloves, the seeds have the most heat.
- Add the fresh cranberries and granulated sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse (4 or 5 times) until the cranberries have been coarsely chopped and combined with the sugar.*Do not puree the berries.
- Add the jalapenos, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt, cilantro, and green onion to the cranberry mixture and pulse 4 – 5 times.*If you prefer a smoother mixture, pulse until your desired consistency.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours allowing time for the flavors to combine (overnight is best).
- Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before making the dip to give it time to soften up.*For smoother cream cheese, use an electric mixer to whip it until it's smooth and creamy or use whipped cream cheese instead of block..
- Place the softened cream cheese in the bottom of a 9” round pie plate or serving dish.
- Spread the cream cheese in an even layer to cover the bottom of the serving dish and set aside until needed.
- Remove the cranberry jalapeno mixture from the refrigerator and stir well.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the excess liquid.*Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to press out any remaining liquid. Reserve the liquid for later.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer on top of the cream cheese.
- Garnish with cilantro, parsley, or lemon circles and serve with your favorite crackers, tortilla chips, or veggies.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
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