Food and Recipes Recipes Cranberry-Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip Be the first to rate & review! Nothing says the holidays like an appetizer table speckled with seasonal dips and assorted cheeses. We'll never turn down a hearty spinach dip or a bowl of homemade pimiento cheese, but it's always a delight when a seasonal flavor makes the spread. Enter our Cranberry-Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip. A welcomed change from the classics we're used to seeing at holiday party after holiday party, this spread melds spicy, tangy, sweet, and creamy all into one bite. The salsa, which features two types of cranberries, thawed and dried, a splash of orange juice, and a hint of jalapeño packs in the flavor and works well against a layer of whipped cream cheese. If you're a lover of heat, you can pack a little more punch by adding jalapeños to the top of the dish too. Once blended and layered together in a large bowl, simply cover for a few hours before your guests arrive. Serve alongside Carr's Table Water Crackers or tortilla chips, but be sure to save any leftovers. It's the perfect topping for toast in the morning and even works well as a condiment for turkey sandwiches the next day By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 7, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Active Time: 10 mins Additional Time: 2 hrs Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Servings: 8 Yield: (serving size: about 3 Tbsp. cranberry salsa, 1/4 cup cream cheese) Ingredients 1 (10-oz.) package frozen cranberries, thawed (about 2 1/2 cups) 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon grated orange zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 orange) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 large jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped (3 Tbsp.), divided 2 (8-oz.) containers whipped cream cheese spread Directions Process thawed cranberries, dried cranberries, parsley, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chopped jalapeño in a food processor until finely chopped and well-combined, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl; cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 week. When ready to serve, spread cream cheese on a platter, and top with cranberry-jalapeño salsa. Garnish with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño and additional chopped parsley. Rate it Print