This Cranberry Jalapeno Dip with Cream Cheese recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. It has a creamy, tart, slightly spicy, and sweet flavor pairs well with chips, crackers, bread, and veggies. The best part is that it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and can be made beforehand. You don’t even need to cook anything! This easy dip recipe can be used as a spread and dip. And if you’re expecting a crowd, you can easily double the recipe!
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Have you tried the Costco Cranberry Dip that everyone talks about? Well, I did, and it’s delicious. This delicious creamy cranberry jalapeño dip is a copycat of the famous dip Costco often carries. It is creamy, tart, sweet, spicy, and easy to make at home!
This Jalapeno Cranberry Dip is made with cream cheese, fresh and dried cranberries, Jalapenos, Sugar, green onions, and sour cream.
The store-bought (Costco) version has a tiny bit of Asiago cheese. I like this dip better without the cheese, but try adding some cheese to the dip while pulsing the cream cheese to see what you think.
I love cranberries, but this dip is on a whole different level, and it’s one of the main reasons I get excited to see those bags of bright red berries appear in the grocery store.
The process of making this dip is quite simple. You only need to pulse all ingredients in a food processor. While some recipes suggest draining off the cranberry mixture’s liquid, I prefer to leave it as is. The flavors are much better without draining the juice.
Whether you’re planning a holiday get-together with family or you want to enjoy a fun, festive snack at home on the weekend, you’ll love this delicious recipe.
Make it in advance.
This cranberry dip should be prepared 3 to 4 hours in advance. For even better results, it can be refrigerated overnight. You may not be impressed if you taste it immediately after making it. However, as the flavors have time to blend and mature, they will taste much better.
Ingredients required
Below is the ingredients list and possible substitutions. The exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cranberries – I use fresh and sweetened cranberries in this recipe, giving it double the flavor.
- Jalapenos – You can add more or less jalapenos to suit your spice tolerance. We like it spicy! You can substitute jalapenos with Serrano or habanero to make it spicier.
- Sugar – To balance out the tartness of cranberries.
- Cream Cheese – I suggest using full-fat cream cheese, but you can also use low-fat cream cheese.
- Additional ingredients – Salt and scallions (Green onions)
Step-by-step process
- To make the dip, put fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, green onions, and jalapenos in a food processor. Pulse the mixture twice or thrice until the cranberries are chopped into small chunks. It’s best to maintain some texture in the dip, so I suggest pulsing only twice and then checking for whole berries. If there are, pulse it again. This should be enough to achieve the desired texture.
- Next, add sugar, orange zest, salt, cream cheese, and sour cream to the food processor. Pulse a couple of times or until everything is well combined.
- Cranberry Jalapeno Dip With cream cheese is ready. Cover it and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Note: When you first make the dip, it may seem runny, but don’t worry; it will thicken as it chills in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
- Serve the dip with crackers, veggies, and chips, or spread it on your sandwich or wrap. Enjoy!
Tips, notes, and quick FAQs
- It’s best to prepare the dip a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld together. Plan accordingly. You can use serrano chilies instead of jalapenos.
- Adjust Jalapenos according to your spice level.
This tasty dip is delicious served with:
Crackers (any variety)
Baguette slices (toasted or not)
French bread
Pita or naan chips
Pretzels
Fresh veggies
As a spread for sandwiches or wraps.
The Cranberry Jalapeno Dip can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered and airtight container for up to two days. If some liquid separates, stir it back into the dip. However, this dip cannot be frozen.
Yes! You can reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoon if you want a more tart, less sweet cranberry cream cheese dip.
The dip contains a whole jalapeno pepper, which provides pleasant heat. The cream cheese and sour cream work together to lessen the spiciness, making it a dish that even those not fond of spicy food can enjoy.
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Cranberry Jalapeno Dip With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Cream cheese
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- 6 oz. Fresh cranberries around 1 ½ cup
- ½ cup Dried cranberries craisins
- 1 big Jalapenos Around ¼ cup
- 3 green onions
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest optional
Method
- To make the dip, put fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, green onions, and jalapenos in a food processor. Pulse the mixture twice or thrice until the cranberries are chopped into small chunks. It's best to maintain some texture in the dip, so I suggest pulsing only twice and then checking for whole berries. If there are, pulse it again. This should be enough to achieve the desired texture.
- Next, add sugar, salt, orange zest, cream cheese, and sour cream to the food processor. Pulse a couple of times or until everything is well combined.
- Cranberry Jalapeno Dip With cream cheese is ready. Cover it and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Note: When you first make the dip, it may seem runny, but don't worry; it will thicken as it chills in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
- Serve the dip with crackers, veggies, and chips, or spread it on your sandwich or wrap. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- It's best to prepare the dip a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld together. Plan accordingly. You can use serrano chilies instead of jalapenos.
- Adjust Jalapenos according to your spice level.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know We would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave your comments, ratings, and any ideas or changes you think could help us make our recipes even better. Thank you for your feedback!Warm regards,
Dhwani.
Can you make a couple days in advance?
Yes.
I made it last year when you posted it. TWICE. my kids love it too. Already made it once this year and will be repeated atleast couple more times!
This one is a keeper for sure!
So glad to know. Thank you!