Holiday Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Alyson Stringer

Yield: 32 servings

I first introduced this years ago at a Wildwood Clotiaux Thanksgiving to stave off the grumbles as we waited to eat our holiday meal. I was tickled pink that it was such a HUGE hit — it disappeared so quickly that I prepped a second plate within an hour, only to have that gobbled up too! (Nov 2022)

12oz fresh, uncooked cranberries
1/2 cup green onion
1/2 cup cilantro
1 small fresh jalapeño pepper, deseeded, diced small
3/4-1 cup sugar (according to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin 
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice

16oz cream cheese (whipped)

Crackers, for serving (Ritz/Kashi crackers are ideal. Wheat Thins or chips are great too) 

 

Use hand food chopper to chop cranberries. (It is best to not use a food processor to chop these as the cranberries liquify too much.)

 

Chop green onion, jalapeño peppers and cilantro.

 

In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeños.

 

Add sugar, lemon juice and salt on top of cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.

 

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight (or a minimum 4 hours).

 

Take cranberry mixture out of the fridge and stir. Strain out liquid using a small-holed colander.

 

Whip softened cream cheese with hand mixer until smooth (about 2 minutes) and spread cream cheese over bottom of a pie plate or 9x9 dish.

 

Pour cranberry mixture atop cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

Serve with crackers or chips.