This cranberry jalapeño dip is the ultimate holiday party appetizer starring a sweet-tart cranberry jalapeño relish spooned over cream cheese. It’s festive, make-ahead friendly, ridiculously easy and always the first thing to disappear from the table.
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The Festive Dip Everyone Asks For
When it comes to holiday appetizers, cheese dips are at the top of my list. From a good ol’ classic cheese ball to hot artichoke dip, jalapeño popper dip, and cheesy pizza dip, if it’s creamy, dippable, and capable of causing a minor stampede at a party… I’m in.
But this year I’m adding even more festive flair with one of my favorite seasonal ingredients: cranberries. Sweet-tart, vibrant, and stunning on any holiday table, they turn an ordinary block of cream cheese into the most addictive cranberry jalapeño dip. It’s part salsa, part relish, with just enough heat to keep things interesting (and totally adjustable depending on your crowd).
Best of all, this cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip is just as practical as it is festive. Make the cranberry relish a day or two ahead, keep the cream cheese chilled, and assemble at go-time for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that looks impressive but requires almost zero effort.
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are my go-to when they’re in season, but frozen cranberries (thawed first) work great for this recipe, too. You can also use canned whole berry cranberry sauce, but skip the jellied kind.
- Jalapeño pepper: Seed it to add flavor without the heat, or leave some (or all!) of the seeds in if your guests like things spicy. I usually remove all of the seeds if I’m bringing it to a party just to be safe.
- Scallions: Use both the white and green parts to add mild onion flavor.
- Lime zest and lime juice: A little citrus brightens the relish. Lemon juice works, too, if that’s what you have.
- Brown sugar: Softens the tartness of the cranberries and adds depth of flavor you won’t get from using white sugar. If you want to make this refined sugar-free, you can use maple syrup or honey, but just know the salsa will be a bit looser.
- Cumin: My secret ingredient that adds warmth and depth. It might seem unexpected in a holiday dip, but trust me, it’s what makes this the best cranberry jalapeno dip and will have everyone wondering what makes this appetizer so good.
- Cream cheese: You’ll need two blocks of cream cheese, at room temp. This makes it easier to spread onto your platter and dip into. This cranberry relish would also be delicious on top of whipped Brie cheese or a soft goat cheese log.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This festive dip has two layers: a cool, creamy cream cheese base and a sweet, tart, spicy cranberry jalapeño relish on top, which comes together in minutes, as long as you let your food processor do the chopping for you.
Could you chop everything by hand? Technically yes. Could you also run a marathon in flip-flops? Also yes. But I wouldn’t recommend it. A food processor, or a high-powered blender, gives you the perfect fine-chopped texture with a fraction of the effort.
You’ll start by pulsing the cranberries until they’re roughly chopped (see the first image below). Think pico de gallo texture, not puréed. Then add the jalapeño, scallions, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, cumin, salt, and pepper, and pulse again until everything is finely chopped and well combined.
Then, let it chill. This is key for the best cranberry dip because the flavors need time to develop and meld. Give it at least 2 hours (and up to overnight) in the fridge for maximum flavor.
When you’re ready to serve, take your cream cheese out of the fridge 20–30 minutes beforehand. Lots of recipes have you whip the cream cheese with a mixer, but after testing that method, I can confidently say: skip it. Spreading softened cream cheese directly onto your serving plate is faster and easier, especially handy if you’re transporting this to a party. (The back of a spoon makes the perfect deep swirls for the cranberry relish to settle into.)
All that’s left to do is use a slotted spoon to spread the chilled cranberry jalapeño relish over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with extra scallions for color, and serve.
Make-Ahead Appetizer Perfection
When it comes to holiday entertaining, anything I can prep in advance is an instant win. And because the cranberry relish actually tastes better the longer it chills in the fridge, I count that as a double win. Make it up to 2 days in advance, storing it in an airtight container separately from the cream cheese.
As it chills, the cranberries naturally release moisture. When you’re ready to assemble, pour off any excess liquid (or use a slotted spoon) before spooning it over the cream cheese. This keeps the dip from getting watery.
Taking this to a party? Keep the relish separate and spread the cream cheese on your serving plate ahead of time. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then assemble the dip in 30 seconds flat once you arrive. You’ll be the MVP of the appetizer table.
What to Serve with Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
This cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip pairs well with anything sturdy so you get that perfect scoop-without-the-chip-breaking situation. Here are my favorites:
- Crackers – Ritz crackers or buttery Club crackers
- Toasted baguette slices
- Tortilla chips – bonus points if you make homemade tortilla chips!
- Pita chips
- Apple slices
- Pretzel crisps
- Veggies – celery sticks, baby carrots, sliced bell peppers
And because the cranberry topping is really just a bright, fresh cranberry relish, you can absolutely skip the cream cheese and spoon it over chicken breasts, salmon, pork tenderloin or your favorite cut of steak. It’s holiday magic in condiment form.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 medium jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
- 4 scallions (green and white parts), roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temp
- Chips or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Add the cranberries to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped (not puréed).
- Add the jalapeño, scallions, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the bowl and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 2 hours and up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, spread the softened cream cheese on your serving plate then top it with the cranberry mix. Garnish with additional scallions then serve with chips or crackers for dipping.
Kelly’s Notes
- You can make this as mild or as spicy as you like by removing all of the jalapeño seeds or leaving them in.
- Make the cranberry relish up to 2 days ahead and store it separately from the cream cheese. The cranberries release moisture as they chill, so pour off any excess liquid (or use a slotted spoon) before assembling to prevent a watery dip.
- Bringing this to a party? Spread the cream cheese on your serving plate and wrap it tightly, then add the relish right before serving for a quick, crowd-winning appetizer.
- Leftovers: Store assembled dip up to 2 days. The cream cheese will tint pink; totally fine and still delicious.
- Because the cranberry topping is really just a bright, fresh cranberry relish, you can absolutely skip the cream cheese and spoon it over chicken breasts, salmon, pork tenderloin or your favorite cut of steak.
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