Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip Recipe Easy Holiday Appetizer
A festive and flavorful holiday appetizer featuring tangy cranberries and creamy cream cheese, perfect for impressing guests with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries (or thawed frozen cranberries)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Fresh rosemary or thyme (optional, for garnish)
- Crackers, toasted baguette slices, or pretzels (for serving)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and ground cinnamon. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Place softened cream cheese on a serving platter. Use a spatula to spread it evenly into a thick layer.
- Once the cranberry mixture has cooled, spoon it over the cream cheese layer. Spread it out evenly, leaving a bit of cream cheese visible around the edges for presentation.
- Sprinkle fresh rosemary or thyme on top for garnish.
- Arrange crackers, bread slices, or pretzels around the platter and serve immediately.
Notes
Prepare the cranberry topping ahead of time and assemble the dip just before serving to keep it fresh. Adjust sweetness or spice to suit your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 2 tabl
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: cranberry dip, holiday appetizer, cream cheese dip, festive recipe, easy appetizer