| Prep | 15 minutes |
| Cook | none |
| Total | about 4 hours 15 minutes, including at least 4 hours in the fridge |
| Serves | 10 as an appetizer |
| Equipment | food processor (or a sharp knife), mixing bowl, airtight container, serving plate, rubber spatula |
A cool, creamy base of cream cheese under a heap of glossy, ruby-red relish that is sweet, sour and gently hot all at once. Each cracker picks up a smear of mild cheese and a crunchy, tangy spoonful of cranberries flecked with green onion, cilantro and jalapeño. It looks festive on a holiday table, and it disappears faster than the cheese board next to it.
There is no cooking involved. Fresh cranberries are chopped raw with sugar, lime juice and the aromatics, then left in the fridge for a few hours. During that time the sugar draws out the juices, softens the sharp edge of the raw berries and lets the heat of the jalapeño spread through the mixture. Spoon it over softened cream cheese just before serving and it is ready.
Ingredients
For the cranberry relish
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries, about 3 cups – fresh berries stay crisp; frozen ones soften and release extra liquid.
- 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar – tames the raw tartness and pulls out the juices as the relish rests.
- 1/3 cup sliced green onions, about 3 – a mild onion bite.
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves – fresh, herbal color and flavor.
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely diced, about 2 tablespoons – the heat.
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice – sharpens the flavors; lemon juice works too.
- 1/4 tsp salt.
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin, optional – a warm, earthy note.
To serve
- 8 oz (225 g) block cream cheese, softened – the cool, mild base under the relish.
- Crackers, plus cucumber slices or jicama sticks if you like.
The same mix of tart cranberries and soft cheese also shows up in our cranberry feta pinwheels, another make-ahead party bite.
How to Make It
1. Chop the cranberries – about 1 minute
Rinse the cranberries, discard any soft ones and dry them well. Put them in a food processor and pulse about 10 times, or chop them by hand with a sharp knife. Stop when the berries are in small, pea-sized pieces; you want a relish, not a puree.
2. Add the flavorings
Add the sugar, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, salt and cumin, if using. Pulse a few more times, or stir everything together in a bowl if you chopped by hand. The cilantro and onion should be finely chopped and evenly spread through the red berries.
3. Chill – at least 4 hours
Transfer the relish to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. An hour will do in a pinch, but the flavor is sharper. It is ready when the cranberries look glossy and darker and sit in a little bright red syrup.
4. Spread the cream cheese
Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or microwave it for about 20 seconds, until soft. Spread it in an even layer on a serving plate. It should spread smoothly with the back of a spoon, without tearing.
5. Top and serve
Stir the relish, then spoon it over the cream cheese, leaving most of the syrup behind in the container so the plate does not flood. Serve with crackers. The cranberries should cover the cheese in a thick layer, with a thin white border showing at the edge.
Controlling the Heat
Jalapeños are moderately hot. The North Dakota State University Extension puts them at 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units, so two peppers from the same bag can taste quite different. Removing the seeds and the pale inner ribs gives a mild, crowd-friendly dip; leave some in if you want more kick.
The same source recommends wearing plastic gloves when you prepare hot peppers, and taking particular care not to rub your eyes afterward. That matters here because the jalapeño is used raw.
The best way to judge is to taste. Add half the jalapeño, pulse, taste the relish on a cracker, then add the rest if it needs it. Remember that the heat will spread and grow a little as the relish rests in the fridge, so stay slightly on the mild side at first.
Make-Ahead and Serving
This is a good dip to prepare a day ahead. Keep the cranberry relish and the cream cheese separate until shortly before serving; the relish keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Assemble the plate no more than an hour before guests arrive and keep it chilled until then.
Buttery round crackers, pita chips and sturdy wheat crackers all work for scooping. For a fresher option, add slices of cucumber or jicama. Since the base is cream cheese, do not leave the dip out for more than about 2 hours.
On a holiday spread, it fits well alongside our cranberry baked brie, so guests get one warm and one cold cranberry appetizer. If you have berries left after the dip, our cranberry orange sauce uses another bag in about fifteen minutes.
Variations
- Whipped cream cheese: a tub of whipped cream cheese spreads more easily straight from the fridge.
- Goat cheese base: mix half goat cheese with half cream cheese for a tangier base.
- Extra heat: keep some of the jalapeño seeds, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Orange twist: add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the relish.
For another cold, creamy party dip, try our fried pickle dip, and browse more ideas among our snack recipes.
Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse and dry the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Pulse them in a food processor about 10 times, or chop by hand, until in small pea-sized pieces.
- Add the sugar, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, salt and cumin, if using, and pulse a few more times until finely chopped and combined.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Soften the cream cheese at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or microwave for about 20 seconds, and spread it in an even layer on a serving plate.
- Stir the relish and spoon it over the cream cheese, leaving most of the syrup behind. Serve with crackers.
Notes
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