Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip (Fresh Cranberries)

This Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip combines sweet, tart, and mildly spicy flavors for the perfect holiday appetizer. Fresh cranberries, sweet honey, and jalapeños create a vibrant topping over creamy softened cream cheese. This is ideal for serving with an assortment of crackers and sliced crusty baguette bread. 

For another cranberry appetizer recipe for the holiday season be sure and also make my Cranberry Brie Bites. 

Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

You can find this holiday appetizer at most holiday gatherings! It’s a festive dip that is so incredible with its tangy, sweet, tart, and mildly spicy flavors. 

This cranberry jalapeno dip really is the perfect dip recipe with the tart & sweet cranberry mixture on top of cool & creamy cream cheese. 

You’ll need a food processor to whip up the tart cranberries alongside other fresh ingredients such as cilantro, jalapeños, green onions, and an apple. It creates this juicy, sweet, tart, mild spice cranberry mixture that is then spread on top of softened cream cheese. 

So simple but yet so stunning and elegant for holiday parties. 

How To Make Cranberry Jalapeño Dip (Printable Recipe Card)

Place the whole cranberries, roughly chopped apple, jalapeños, green onions, and cilantro into a food processor and pulse until everything is coarsely chopped. 

Add in the honey, lemon juice, and salt. Continue pulsing until the mixture is very finely chopped and evenly combined. Don’t pulse until it’s liquid, but rather pulse until it’s in smaller and finer chopped pieces. 

Cover and refrigerate the cranberry mixture for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to blend. 

Spread the softened cream cheese evenly onto a serving platter or plate. Spoon the cranberry mixture over the cream cheese, allowing some of the juices to drizzle over. If the cranberry mixture seems really juicy, use a slotted spoon to drain some of it before adding it on top of the cream cheese; however, you do want some juice on the cream cheese because it adds tons of flavor and helps loosen the thicker cream cheese a bit (making it easier to dip). 

Serve the dip chilled with crackers and sliced baguette pieces. 

Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen

• Pulse Don’t Puree : Use short pulses when copping the cranberry mixture in the food processor. You want a finely chopped relish, not a smooth liquid sauce.
• Chill : Chilling the mixture for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld and the cranberries to soften slightly. I prefer chilling it for longer than 30 minutes for the best taste and chilled temperature. You can refrigerate the cranberry mixture for up to 24 hours before assembling the cranberry dip. 
• Softened Cream Cheese : Room temperate cream cheese spreads easily and won’t tear when topped with the cranberry mixture. It also makes dipping much easier when the cream cheese is softened. Leave the cream cheese out at room temperature for up to 2 hours before using it. 
• Drain Excess Liquid : Before spooning the cranberry mixture over the cream cheese, let the cranberry mixture rest in a fine mesh strainer (or sieve) for a few minutes if it seems really juicy. You do want some moisture/juice but if there is lots of liquid pooling up then go ahead and drain some or use a slotted spoon to spoon it over the cream cheese. The longer you refrigerate the cranberry mixture, the juicier it will become. Which is not a bad thing but you probably will have to drain it. 
• Serve Chilled : This creamy dip is a million times better when it’s served chilled. So don’t skip the fridge time and if you have more than 30 minutes to chill it, I always recommend doing so. 

Recipe FAQs

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

Yes! In fact, I recommend making it ahead of time so you can refrigerate the dip longer than 30 minutes. Longer chill time means that the flavors have more time to meld together and for the cranberry mixture to get chilled and colder. Make the cranberry mixture up to 24 hours ahead of time and keep it stored, covered, in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. It’s important to assemble the dip (top the cream cheese with the cranberry mixture) right before serving it. Do not chill the dip already assembled. 

What Should I Serve This Festive Dip Recipe With?

This easy dip recipe is perfect served alongside some salty crackers and toasted baguette slices. Use your favorite crackers and I always suggest serving it alongside an assortment of crackers such as Wheat Thins, Cub Crackers, Triscuits, Gluten-Free Crackers, Nut Thins, Ritz crackers, Table crackers, etc. My favorite cracker to dip is the Club crackers – the buttery, mild sweetness pairs perfectly with the dip. 

Is It Really Spicy?

This dip is mild and kid-friendly. There is so much going on with the sweetness, tartness, and mild spice that it all balances out perfectly, especially when you pair it with the cool and creamy cream cheese. I always take out the seeds and white membrane from the jalapeños which helps the heat be more mild. If you want more heat then leave the seeds in the jalapeño. Another option is to only use one jalapeño with the seeds removed for less mild heat. I do this quite a bit as well. 

Can I Add Garnishes For Serving?

For a festive touch and added texture, sprinkle some chopped pecans and/or pomegranate arils over the top right before serving. 

More Amazing Appetizer Dip Recipes

• Fried Pickle Dip Recipe
• Crockpot Crab Dip
• Creamy Boat Dip
• Hot Cocoa Dip
• Layered Taco Dip
• Texas Trash Dip (Cheesy Warm Bean Dip)
• Fiesta Ranch Dip
• Creamy Cheesy Hot Corn Dip (BEST Appetizer Recipe)
• Cottage Cheese Buffalo Chicken Dip (High Protein Dip)