Cranberry Relish Cream Cheese Dip
A festive appetizer featuring a sweet-tart cranberry relish accented with jalapeño, cilantro, green onion, cumin, and lemon. The chilled cranberry mixture is spooned over a smooth cream cheese base and served with crisp crackers for dipping.
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Ingredients
Cranberry Relish
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries finely chopped for a more uniform texture
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 small jalapeño pepper seeds removed and flesh finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar such as Domino for dependable sweetness
- A dash of kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
For Serving
- 2 packages cream cheese 8 ounces each, softened to room temperature, approximately 70°F
- Crackers such as buttery Ritz crackers
Instructions
- Finely chop the fresh cranberries and place them in a medium mixing bowl. Add the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, minced seeded jalapeño, granulated sugar, cumin, lemon juice, and a dash of kosher salt.
- Stir thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the cranberry mixture is well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours so the flavors have sufficient time to blend.
- When ready to assemble the dip, place the softened cream cheese on a serving plate or platter. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread it into a smooth, even layer.
- Remove the chilled cranberry relish from the refrigerator and spoon it evenly over the prepared cream cheese base.
- Gently distribute the cranberry topping across the cream cheese so each serving contains both the creamy layer and the flavorful relish.
- Serve immediately with crackers arranged alongside the dip for scooping and dipping.
Notes
For a more developed flavor, the cranberry relish may be refrigerated overnight before assembling the dip.
Ritz crackers provide a buttery complement to the sweet and tangy topping, although an assortment of crackers may also be served to provide different flavors and textures.