This Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is a super festive and delicious appetizer. It is creamy but has that perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors. This simple to make appetizer is a real crowd pleaser! Make this festive appetizer for your holiday gatherings!

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Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

You can’t go wrong with a simple dip that doesn’t require any cooking, looks fabulous and tastes amazing. This cranberry Cream Cheese Dip is exactly that. You only need a handful of fresh ingredients to bring this dip to life and it is perfect to serve for the holiday season. I like it as an appetizer at holiday parties but it could also be used as part of a charcuterie board or as a simple snack with some crusty bread, bread sticks, or other things to dip in. Yum!

There is such a balance of fresh flavors with this dip. You have the creaminess of the cream cheese, the freshness from the orange and fresh cranberry, the jalapenos give that heat, and the cilantro and green onions balance everything out. You are going to love this creamy cranberry jalapeno dip. 

• Super easy to make – The food processor does all the hard work for you with these simple ingredients. No baking, no cooking, just a delicious dip made in minutes. 
• A real crowd-pleaser – Not only does it look festive but it also tastes amazing. It is the perfect holiday appetizer. 
• Delicious flavors – You can’t go wrong with the spice of the jalapeno peppers and the fresh cranberries. Everything just works together. 
• Perfect for all occasions – You can make this creamy dip as the perfect holiday party appetizer or serve it as a savory snack.

Equipment Needed

food processor- this is the best way to pulse the ingredients and not completely puree the cranberry. I like to see the small pieces of the cranberry in a more salsa like form.

Key Ingredients

Fresh whole cranberries – For the homemade cranberry salsa you will need to use fresh tart cranberries. 

Cream Cheese – One of the main stars of the appetizer. Any block of cream cheese will work. 

Orange – You will use orange juice and orange zest for this recipe. It will add a burst of citrus freshness. 

Jalapeno – The spicy jalapenos add a hint of spice to the cranberry mixture topping. 

Cilantro, Parsley, and Green Onion – The herbs and green onion give a savory flavor.

Sugar – sugar in this cranberry jalapeño dip is essential. It tames the tartness of the cranberries.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Gather all of your ingredients together. Wash your cranberries and add them to the bowl of a food processor. 

Cut the jalapeno in half to remove the seeds and chop the jalapeño peppers into a few pieces. Slice the green onion and then add them both to the food processor. 

Finally, add the parsley, cilantro, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and sugar to the food processor.

Pulse several times until all ingredients are chopped finely and combined. I like to leave the cranberry pieces a little chunky so it is best to just pulse so that it doesn’t turn it into a puree.

Refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Add your room temperature softened cream cheese to a serving platter and add the cranberry jalapeno salsa on top of the cream cheese. Add some crackers or your choice of dippers around the cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip.

Serving Recommendations

• Breadsticks
• Crusty bread
• Pretzel crisps
• Dinner rolls 
• Your favorite crackers 
• Pita chips
• Baguette slices

Make Ahead

This is an easy appetizer dip that you make ahead of time to make things easier when preparing a holiday meal or family gatherings. You can make this up to 7 days ahead and keep it stored. You would only make the cranberry salsa and store it separately without the cream cheese. Before adding to the top of the cream cheese make sure you pour away any excess liquid that may have formed during storage.

Storage

If you have any leftover dip then transfer it to an airtight container. You can then store it for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can enjoy leftovers with crackers or use it as a spread on a sandwich with ham or turkey.

Can I Use Frozen Cranberries For This Recipe? 

This recipe is best for fresh cranberries only. Frozen cranberry have a lot of moisture which will then make the dip have a wetter consistency. 

Top Tips For Making The Best Creamy Cranberry And Jalapeno Dip

• You can strain the cranberry salsa mix to drain it of any excess moisture.
• Make this to suite your tastes. I added only one jalapeno but you can always add more if you like more heat.
• You can substitute the orange juice for lemon juice or fresh lime juice if needed. 
• You can spread the cream cheese on a platter instead of just adding it on as the full block.

Are Jalapeno Peppers Spicy?

Jalapeno peppers actually vary in spice so it is always a good idea to test them to see what heat level they have. You can adjust the amount of jalapeno peppers you add to this recipe based on how spicy you want it to be. If you do like heat you could always add a bit of chili powder or dried red chili flakes. 

Substitutions And Additions

green onions– you can substitute some chopped red onion to the recipe. You will probably need just a few tablespoons.

orange juice and zest– any citrus will taste great. Try lemons or limes as a substitute.

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and a 5- star rating. I would love to hear from you! Subscribe Here to get new recipes sent straight to your inbox!