Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
This Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is the holiday appetizer everyone ends up hovering around until the platter is wiped clean. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, tart cranberries, a hint of heat from fresh jalapeño, and cool, creamy cream cheese underneath. This dip is an easy make-ahead must. Serve it with crackers, pretzel crisps, or crostini, and watch it become the most-requested recipe of the season.
Serves: 10–12 | Prep time: 15 min | Chill time: 4+ hours to Overnight
What you’ll need:
1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup finely chopped jalapeño (1–2 peppers, seeds removed for less heat)
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
⅛ tsp salt
2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
How to make it:
Pulse cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped (not pureed).
In a bowl, mix chopped cranberries with sugar, jalapeño, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate 4+ hours to overnight — this helps the flavors develop and mellow the spice. The longer the better.
Before serving, whip softened cream cheese until smooth.
Strain off excess cranberry liquid (reserve it to make a cocktail—recipe below), then combine the cranberry mixture to the cream cheese. Spread onto a serving tray.
Sprinkle with candied walnuts/pecans and dried cranberries (salad topper). Serve with Crackers, pretzel crisps, or toasted baguette slices.
Cranberry Jalapeño Cocktail
When the dip is so good, you have to make a matching drink. It’s bright, spicy, and the perfect follow-up to that viral dip. Cheers!
What you’ll need: Serves 1
2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz strained cranberry-jalapeño juice (from your dip mixture)
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz simple syrup or agave (optional, depending on sweetness of juice)
Ice
Cranberries, jalapeño slice, or lime wheel for garnish
How to make it:
Fill a shaker with ice.
Add tequila, cranberry-jalapeño juice, lime juice, and simple syrup (if using).
Shake well until chilled.
Strain into a cold coup glass, or rocks glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with a few cranberries, a thin jalapeño slice, or a lime wheel for a festive touch.
