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Cranberry jalapeño dip on a white plate, chopped red cranberries with sliced jalapeño, green onion and cilantro over a layer of cream cheese, round crackers around it and a lime wedge

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Fresh cranberries chopped raw with jalapeño, cilantro, green onion and lime, chilled and spooned over cream cheese for an easy make-ahead party dip.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cranberry relish
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries 340 g, about 3 cups
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar 130 g
  • 1/3 cup sliced green onions about 3
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 large jalapeño seeded and finely diced, about 2 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin optional
To serve
  • 8 oz block cream cheese 225 g, softened
  • crackers plus cucumber or jicama, optional

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  4. 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.
  5. Stir the relish and spoon it over the cream cheese, leaving most of the syrup behind. Serve with crackers.

Notes

Storage: keep the relish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, separate from the cream cheese. Assemble no more than an hour before serving and do not leave the dip out for more than 2 hours. Not suitable for freezing.
Make-ahead: make the relish the day before; the flavor improves overnight.
Substitutions: whipped cream cheese for easier spreading; half goat cheese for a tangier base; lemon juice instead of lime.
Without a food processor: chop the cranberries and aromatics finely with a sharp knife and stir together.
Wear gloves when cutting the jalapeño. Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis, and does not include crackers.