‘Tis the season to celebrate cranberries! As these gorgeous, deep-red berries start popping up at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and holiday menu suggestions, it’s clear they’re here to shine. I have to admit, cranberries weren’t always my favorite—their tartness never quite resonated with my taste buds. Yet, knowing the fantastic health benefits of cranberries, I genuinely wanted to enjoy them. Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled upon a recipe for Festive Cranberry Jalapeño Dip, and let’s just say I’m now a cranberry convert!
Festive Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is a vibrant blend of fresh cranberries, cilantro, jalapeños, and green onions served over a layer of creamy cheese—creating the ultimate party dip! The mix of sweet, tart cranberries with a hint of added sugar and a spicy kick from the jalapeños pairs beautifully, making it perfect for any occasion. This unique combination of flavors fits right in with Texas-inspired dishes and will be a hit at holiday feasts, game-day gatherings, or casual get-togethers.
Here’s how to make this crave-worthy cranberry jalapeño dip. For the best results, prepare it the day before serving to allow the flavors of the cranberries, sugar, and jalapeño to meld together. Enjoy this holiday season with a fresh twist on cranberries!
Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh, uncooked cranberries (one regular-size bag)
- 1-2 fresh jalapenos, finely chopped
- 1/4 C green onions (4-5 green onions), chopped
- 1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 – 3/4 Cup sugar or a healthy sweetener of choice
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
- 16 ounces organic softened cream cheese (whipped – optional)
NOTE: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face and eyes.
Instructions
- Day before. Blender: Add cranberries to a food processor and pulse once. If after one pulse, there are still a lot of whole cranberries, pulse once more. Your goal is for most of the cranberries to be cut, but you don’t want to puree them. Hand Food Chopper: You can also choose to use a hand food chopper instead of a blender in order to get a better “chop”. While this takes longer, you will get less liquid and, in my opinion, a prettier dip.
- Pour cranberries into a bowl and mix with jalapenos, scallions, cilantro, sugar, lime/lemon juice, and salt. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to sit overnight. If you are in a time crunch, three hours will suffice.
- When you’re ready to make the dip, whip the softened cream cheese for about two minutes and spread it evenly into a pie plate or 9×9 dish.
- Remove the cranberry mixture from the fridge and place it in a small-holed colander. Let as much juice drain from it as possible, then discard the juice.
- Top cream cheese with cranberry mixture. Serve with homemade and/or organic crackers.
- Enjoy! And try to be gracious with all the compliments you will get.
By the way, this cranberry-jalapeno mixture goes great with turkey, grilled or roasted pork tenderloin, fish, or chicken and makes a killer spread on a turkey or ham sandwich. I bet you can come up with even more ways to serve Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Dip!
