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Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add Nutmeg (Optional): If desired, grate fresh nutmeg into the cheese mixture, about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon to taste, and stir well.
  5. Incorporate Cranberries: Gently fold in the cranberry sauce and the reserved ½ cup fresh cranberries into the cheese mixture.
  6. Assemble and Bake: Spoon the cranberry and cheese mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
  7. 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.
  8. Manage Browning: If the top is browning too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil (shiny side down) during baking to prevent overbrowning.
  9. 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.
  10. 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

Find it online: https://cookwithruby.com/baked-cranberry-cream-cheese-dip-recipe/