Nothing says more about the holidays than an appetizer table peppered with seasonal dips and various types of cheese. We will never refuse a hearty spinach dip or a bowl of homemade pimiento cheese, but it is always a pleasure when a seasonal taste makes the spread. Enter our cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip. This spread is a welcome change from the classics we are used to from holiday party to holiday party after a holiday party. It melts hot, tart, sweet, and creamy in one bite. The salsa, which has two types of cranberries, thawed and dried, a splash of orange juice and a hint of jalapeño wrap in the taste, and works well against a layer of whipped cheese. If you are a lover of heat, you can pack a little more punch by also putting jalapeños on top of the dish. Once they are mixed and layered in a large bowl, simply cover them for a few hours before your guests arrive. Serve it with Carr’s Table Water Crackers or Tortilla Chips, but make sure there are no leftovers. It’s the perfect topping for toast in the morning and even makes a great seasoning for turkey sandwiches the next day.
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh, uncooked cranberries
- 1/4 cup green onion
- 1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers
- 2 Tbsp. cilantro (optional)
- 3/4 to 1 Cup sugar (according to taste)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juce
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 16 oz. cream cheese (whipped)
Instructions
Use a hand chopper to chop the cranberries. (It is best not to chop them with a food processor, as the cranberries become too liquid).
Chop the green onion, jalapeño peppers and coriander.
In a medium bowl, add chopped cranberries, green onion, coriander and jalapeños.
Add sugar, lemon juice and salt to the cranberry mixture and stir gently until mixed.
Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the cranberry mixture from the refrigerator and mix all the ingredients together. Strain all liquid with a sieve with small holes.
Stir the softened cream cheese until smooth with the hand mixer (approx. 2 minutes) and spread cream cheese on the bottom of a pâté dish or 9×9 form.
Pour cranberry mixture over the cream cheese and keep in the fridge until serving.
Spoon over the Ritz crackers and enjoy!
