Introduction

Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip is a festive and flavorful appetizer perfect for gatherings and holiday parties. Creamy, cheesy, and bursting with tangy cranberries, this dip is both comforting and vibrant. Serve it warm with your favorite crackers or crostini for an irresistible treat.

A white baking dish filled with a baked creamy dip layered with melted cheese on top, which is golden and bubbly with hints of red cranberry pieces visible through the cheese. The dip shows textured layers of smooth cheese and chunky cranberry bits with a slightly browned crust at the edges. On top, there are a few whole fresh cranberries and a small green rosemary sprig as garnish. The dish sits on a red cloth on a wooden board surrounded by toasted golden bread slices and pale crispy chips. The background is a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 cups extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, grated, divided (yellow cheddar can be used)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (full fat or Neufchatel)
¼ heaping cup cranberry sauce (canned, leftover, or homemade)
½ cup fresh cranberries (may substitute with frozen, do not thaw)
⅛–¼ teaspoon nutmeg, fresh or ground (optional)
12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen, do not thaw) for homemade sauce
1 cup sugar (all natural cane sugar or white sugar)
3 tablespoons orange juice (fresh squeezed or store bought)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh preferred)
¼ cup water

Instructions

Step 1: (Optional) To make the cranberry sauce, combine 12 ounces cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until cranberries pop and sauce thickens. Remove ½ cup fresh cranberries to reserve for the dip. Let sauce cool.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) or 350°F (175°C) for convection. Lightly spray a 1½-quart baking dish with oil.
Step 3: In a medium-large bowl, combine the cream cheese with 1¾ cups grated cheddar cheese until smooth.
Step 4: If using, grate ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon nutmeg into the cheese mixture and stir to combine for added warmth and flavor.
Step 5: Gently fold in ¼ cup cranberry sauce and ½ cup fresh cranberries reserved earlier. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Step 6: Top with the remaining ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 18–23 minutes (15 minutes if convection) until bubbly around the edges.
Step 7: If the dip browns too quickly, tent with foil (shiny side down) during baking. A few minutes before it’s done, remove the foil and sprinkle any remaining cheese on top to brown lightly.
Step 8: Serve warm immediately with crostini, crackers, or pita chips. Optionally, grate a little fresh nutmeg on top before serving for extra aroma.

Tips & Variations

Use yellow cheddar if you prefer a milder, creamier color, but expect a slight tint in the dip.
Frozen cranberries can be used directly without thawing for both the sauce and dip to retain texture.
For a lighter option, Neufchatel cheese works well instead of full-fat cream cheese.
Add a splash of orange liqueur to the cranberry sauce for an adult twist.
Make the cranberry sauce ahead and refrigerate for up to one week to save time on party day.

Storage

Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a microwave or oven until warmed through, stirring occasionally to maintain creaminess. Leftover homemade cranberry sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to one week or can be frozen for longer storage.

How to Serve

A white casserole dish filled with a creamy, melted cheese dip mixed with red cranberry pieces, creating a speckled texture of smooth white and vibrant red. The top layer is a bubbly, golden-brown cheese crust with scattered whole cranberries and a small sprig of green rosemary as garnish, placed slightly off-center. A woman's hand with red nail polish is dipping a golden brown toasted baguette slice, textured with small salt grains on the surface, into the cheese dip. Below the dish, several toasted baguette slices are spread on a white marbled surface, showing their crisp, buttery texture and light golden color. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use canned cranberry sauce for this dip?

Yes, canned or leftover cranberry sauce works perfectly and is a great time saver. Just be sure to use about ¼ cup for the dip as stated.

What can I serve with Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip?

This dip pairs wonderfully with crostini, crackers, pita chips, or even fresh vegetable sticks like celery or bell peppers for a lighter option.

Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 72 reviews

This Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip is a festive and delicious appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. It combines creamy, tangy cream cheese with sharp white cheddar and bursts of sweet-tart cranberries, baked until bubbly and golden, ideal for serving warm alongside crostini, crackers, or pita chips.

Author: Ruby
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Approximately 6–8 servings 1x
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cream Cheese Mixture

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature, full fat or Neufchatel)
2 cups extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, grated, divided
⅛–¼ teaspoon nutmeg (fresh or ground, optional)

Cranberry Sauce

12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen, do not thaw)
1 cup sugar (all natural cane sugar or white sugar)
3 tablespoons orange juice (fresh squeezed or store bought)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best)
¼ cup water

Additional

¼ heaping cup cranberry sauce (canned, leftover, or homemade)
½ cup fresh cranberries (may substitute frozen, do not thaw)
Cooking spray (for baking dish)

Instructions

Optional Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Place 12 ounces of cranberries, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and water into a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until cranberries start to burst and sugar dissolves. Remove ½ cup fresh cranberries before fully cooking for use in the dip. Allow mixture to cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Prepare Baking Dish and Oven: Lightly spray a small 1½ quart baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (175°C) if using convection.
Combine Cheese: In a medium-large mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese and 1¾ cups of the grated cheddar cheese until smooth and combined.
Add Nutmeg (Optional): If desired, grate fresh nutmeg into the cheese mixture, about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon to taste, and stir well.
Incorporate Cranberries: Gently fold in the cranberry sauce and the reserved ½ cup fresh cranberries into the cheese mixture.
Assemble and Bake: Spoon the cranberry and cheese mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake the Dip: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 18-23 minutes, or about 15 minutes if using convection, until the dip is bubbly in the middle and edges.
Manage Browning: If the top is browning too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil (shiny side down) during baking to prevent overbrowning.
Final Cheese Topping: A few minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle any remaining aged cheddar cheese on top and remove foil if used, allowing the top to brown slightly.
Serve Warm: Remove from the oven and serve immediately with crostini, crackers, or pita chips. Optionally, grate additional fresh nutmeg over the top for extra flavor.

Notes

You can use yellow cheddar instead of white, though it may tint the dip but will not affect flavor.
If not making homemade cranberry sauce, canned or leftover cranberry sauce works perfectly.
Frozen cranberries should not be thawed before use in this recipe.
Store leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge to use later.
Adjust nutmeg according to personal taste preference or omit if desired.
Cover the dip during baking if browning occurs too rapidly.
Serve warm for best flavor and texture.

Keywords: cranberry cream cheese dip, baked cranberry dip, holiday appetizer, cream cheese dip, cheddar cranberry dip