Dill Pickle Dip

Dip pickle dip is wonderfully chunky, briny, tangy, and sharp, with a hint of heat (though you can leave that out—or play it up—if you want). With each bite of this dill pickle dip, you get the juiciness of pickle pieces and the herby tang of fresh dill. Cream cheese and sour cream do an excellent job of countering the saltiness with a luxuriously creamy and decadent mouthfeel.

You’ll want to serve this at any happy hour or cocktail party as a departure from salsa, hummus, and other more expected dips. It is the go-to condiment for anyone who loves fishing a pickle from the jar every day to satisfy a craving for something salty.

How To Make The Best Dill Pickle Dip

You can follow the directions as they are here, or get a bit more creative. This dip has a lot of room for creativity, so find what works for you!

• Try other types of pickles. Bread and butter pickles are sweeter. Kosher pickles would work, too. Of course we can't leave off Southern favorite Wickles. The hint of heat in the Wickles pickles would be delicious in this dip.
• Swap sour cream for mayonnaise if that’s what you prefer. It will be a touch sweeter and lose its tang, but it's OK to use if that's what you have on hand.
• Don't skip the chill in the refrigerator after all the ingredients are combined. You want this dip to give the dip's flavors time to meld together (especially that pickle juice!).
• The consistency of the dip can be adjusted with the amount of pickle juice you add. But be careful not to use too much of it—it’s extremely salty. Consider stirring in pickle juice after removing it from the fridge to loosen things up a bit.
• The cayenne pepper really helps to round out the dish, but you can take things a step further by adding a teaspoon or more of chopped jalapenos (pickled would be best so that they don’t overpower).

This dip is of course extremely pickle-forward, so it has fresh garlic and cayenne pepper to counter the boldness. If you're making a dill pickle dip for yourself or another fellow pickle love, it’s likely you already appreciate big flavors, so the amount of pickle and pickle juice probably won't be too jarring. But for a crowd of folks who may not be as big a pickle fan, consider pulling back just a bit.

How To Serve Dill Pickle Dip

The classic choice is with thick, ridged potato chips, but you might also consider pretzels or seed crackers. Go a little fresher with cucumber slices, celery, or carrots.

Try something unique and serve this dip as a spread on cucumber sandwiches or ham sandwiches.