Cranberry Dip

Cranberry Dip is a delicious Thanksgiving appetizer that has a classic holiday flavor, with fresh cranberries, pecans, and cream cheese. 

This Thanksgiving, give your hungry friends and relatives something yummy to snack on while they wait for the turkey. If you’re expecting a lot of people and just one dip recipe isn’t going to be enough, check out some other tasty Thanksgiving appetizers on the Holiday Recipe Page. 

Sabrina’s Cranberry Dip Recipe

We’ve all had that Thanksgiving where everyone’s hungry, the turkey is hours from being done, and tempers start to flare. If this is your first time hosting, don’t panic, make appetizers! Thanksgiving appetizers have saved countless holiday parties. Plus, you also get to snack along with all your guests while you cook. It can also be made ahead of time to take to your Friendsgiving or Christmas parties because it travels well!

Recipe Card

About this Recipe

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip takes all of the classic flavors of Thanksgiving and combines them into a tasty, super easy dip. The tart cranberries pair so nicely with the rich, creamy flavor and texture of the cream cheese. You may have never thought to mix apricot jam with cranberries, but they mix so well together. Cranberry Dip is really similar in principle to a deconstructed Cheese Ball but with all of the flavors of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• Whole Cranberries and Sugar: Cranberries are the key flavor in this recipe, but they need a little help with a few extra ingredients. Tossing the cranberries in sugar and baking them will make a chunky, jam-like sauce. They pop and their juices run as they bake, then those juices mix with the sugar to sweeten and thicken.
• Apricot Jam: Adding the jam to the mixture creates that mild, fruity sweetness that will bring the dish together.
• Pecans: Chopped pecans bring the needed crunch.
• Cream Cheese: The tangy flavor of cream cheese is an added bonus to take the flavor of this dip over the top.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, because you already need to let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night. You can even make a few days ahead if you want. Just take the cream cheese out to soften, and top with the sauce before you’re ready to serve.

What to Pair With

All you need after prepping this dish is the Roasted Turkey and Mashed Potatoes for a festive dinner! In addition to prepping this in advance, you can also mix up some Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy to accompany your dinner. The smells in your house will be divine!

How to Store

• Serve: Do NOT leave this dip out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. 
• Store: Refrigerate when it’s properly sealed in plastic wrap or an airtight container and it should stay good for up to 4 days. Make sure your dip is sealed tight enough to keep any moisture out, and always allow the dip to cool all the way down to room temperature before you put it away. 
• Freeze: It is recommend to eat this dip fresh or from the fridge, since cream cheese famously doesn’t freeze well. 

Ideas to Serve

• Crackers: You can set out your favorite crackers to pair with this dip recipe. You’re going to want them to be sturdy crackers that won’t break when you dip them. Also you will want them to be large enough to hold plenty of this delicious dip. Butter crackers would be delicious, or some hearty whole grain crackers. You could also go more simple with saltine or water crackers. Ultimately, if you set out a variety of crackers, that will be really satisfying to serve to a group whether large or small.
• Pita Chips: Crunchy, tasty, and just the right size, pita chips are an excellent choice. You can find them in all sorts of shapes and even flavors. Grab your favorite or a couple of different bags for variety. Some of the savory varieties would pair well also. Try sea salt, or garlic pita chips for a sweet and salty snack.
• Crostini: You can make your own toasty, crunchy dippers by slicing a french baguette into 1/4-inch slices, brush them with olive oil, and toast them in a 350 degree oven. Take them out when they’re as browned as you would like them to be. Typically about 15 minutes should do the trick.
• Fruits and Veggies: To add some variety to your appetizer table, slice some fruit or veggies for dipping. Sliced apples or pears would be great fruits to pair. Cucumber slices or radish slices would also work well, and so would celery sticks, carrot sticks, jicama sticks, or snap peas.

Frequent Questions

Variations

• Add-ins: There are a lot of different things that you can mix into this dip, such as green onions, pomegranates, or cilantro. Try fresh parsley along with the jam. You can even chop up some dried fruits to add flavor and texture like dried pineapples or mangos. You can also use a food processor to chop the add-ins into small, flavorful chunks.  
• Spicy Cranberry Dip: Jalapeños would add a lot of spice to your dip. So would crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, prepared horseradish, or bell peppers for a mild spicy flavor. If you decide to go the route of Cranberry Jalapeño Dip, remember that cold temperatures activate capsaicin, the chemical that makes hot food hot, so for a spicier dip, add the jalapenos later in the process.
• Nuts: Change up the pecans in this recipe. Chopped walnuts would make an excellent choice. Pistachios or macadamia nuts would bring unique flavors and textures to the dip as well. Try your favorite nuts to make this dip all your own!
• Salty and Savory: Add a little salt to the recipe for a sweet and salty flavor. Also try some garlic powder, or onion powder to bring a savory edge. Start small with your additions. Use ¼ or ½ teaspoon and then add more to taste, if you like.

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