Cranberry Jalapeno Dip - The BEST Holiday Appetizer Ever!

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Creamy, spicy and filled with the flavors of the holiday, this Cranberry Jalapeno Dip comes together in under 5 minutes and is perfect for parties and gatherings!

Tangy cream cheese, spicy jalapenos and tart cranberries come together in this "perfect for the holidays" (or really any time) dip. 

It may seem like an odd combo...I certainly wasn't sure whether or not it would work or not. But it does. The creaminess offsets the spice and tart just perfectly. It's just so good.

And I'm saying that as a person who doesn't necessarily LOVE cranberries (seriously cranberry lovers, how do you do it??). The freshness of the cilantro adds the perfect finishing touch to the whole dish.

And this cranberry jalapeno dip is perfect for parties. Serve it alongside these other appetizers for am awesome holiday hors d'oeuvres menu!

• Chicken Liver Mousse
• Air Fryer Crab Cakes
• Bacon Jam
• Dried Beef Dip
• Roasted Chestnuts
• Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs
• Cured Salmon
• Beef Empanadas

Ingredients

For the creamiest results, I prefer to use full fat cream cheese. 

Fresh or frozen cranberries are an absolute must. Dried cranberries just don't work in this recipe. Fresh cranberries are available typically from October to December and are also great used in this Cranberry Chutney or this Roasted Butternut Squash with cranberries.

The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

For you cranberry lovers, here are some other ultra yummy cranberry recipes:

• Cranberry chutney
• Cranberry baked brie
• Cranberry white chocolate cookies
• Cinnamon roasted butternut squash with cranberries

Step By Step Instructions

STEP 1: Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature. 

STEP 2: In a bowl, add the sugar, cream cheese, honey, salt and chili powder and mix together until well combined and not grainy. You can also use a mixer for convenience.

STEP 3: In a separate bowl, combine the cranberries, jalapeno, cilantro and lemon juice and toss to coat with the lemon juice.

STEP 4: Pour the cream cheese mixture in a bowl. The mixture should be about 1 ½ inches thick.

STEP 5: Pour the cranberry mixture on top and serve with crackers.

Expert Tips

1. For extra spice, add an additional jalapeno or other hot pepper like Thai chili or habanero pepper.
2. Mix the cream cheese mixture well to prevent it from being grainy.
3. The recipe can be easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled.
4. The chili powder can be ommited if you'd like less spice.
5. Chop the cranberries in smaller pieces if desired. They can be quartered or halved.

You can easily make the recipe ahead of time and store in the fridge overnight covered in plastic wrap or in a covered container. It will last about 3 days in the fridge in a covered container. 

Did you make this recipe? Rate it and leave a comment below to let me know what you think.