Description
Baked Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip will become your new favorite party starter that comes together in minutes with minimal effort. Creamy, tangy, and perfect for spreading on crackers or crusty bread, this crowd-pleasing appetizer delivers serious flavor without complicated preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces cranberries
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ heaping cup cranberry sauce
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛–¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 1½-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine 8 oz room temperature cream cheese with 1¾ cups grated cheddar cheese until smooth.
- Optional: Sprinkle ⅛-¼ teaspoon nutmeg into the cheese mixture and stir thoroughly.
- Gently fold ¼ cup cranberry sauce and ½ cup fresh cranberries into the cheese mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Top the mixture with the remaining ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 18-23 minutes at 375°F until the center becomes bubbly and edges are golden.
- If cheese browns too quickly, cover with foil (shiny side down) during baking.
- During the last few minutes, remove foil to allow cheese to brown slightly.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately with crostini, crackers, or pita chips.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle additional fresh nutmeg on top before serving.
Notes
- Check your cream cheese temperature to ensure smooth mixing without lumps.
- Fresh cranberries add texture, so don’t chop them completely when stirring into the dip.
- Grating nutmeg directly enhances flavor more than pre-ground versions, but ground works fine too.
- For a lighter version, swap some cream cheese with Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat cheddar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-23 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg