Description
Cranberry jalapeño cream cheese spread delivers a zesty holiday appetizer perfect for seasonal gatherings. Tangy cranberries and spicy peppers create a balanced dip you can’t resist serving at your next celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) cream cheese, softened
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 to 5 green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup (15 g) cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) lemon or lime juice
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Crackers or sliced baguette (for serving)
Instructions
- Cranberry Prep: Pulse cranberries in a food processor until roughly textured, creating a vibrant base for the spread.
- Flavor Fusion: Blend cranberries with green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, sugar, cumin, lemon juice, and salt until finely chopped, forming a harmonious mixture.
- Marination Phase: Refrigerate cranberry mixture for 4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Cream Cheese Foundation: Spread cream cheese evenly across a serving plate, creating a smooth, inviting base for the topping.
- Final Assembly: Carefully layer the chilled cranberry mixture over cream cheese, ensuring elegant and uniform distribution.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the completed spread for 30-60 minutes to enhance flavor integration, then serve with crisp crackers or baguette slices, presenting a zesty and creamy appetizer that tantalizes the palate.
Notes
- Pulse Precisely: Chop cranberries just enough to maintain texture, avoiding over-processing into a mushy consistency.
- Marinate Masterfully: Longer refrigeration (4+ hours) intensifies flavor fusion between cranberries and spices.
- Balance Heat Carefully: Adjust jalapeño quantity based on personal spice tolerance for perfect flavor profile.
- Serve Strategically: Allow spread to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to soften cream cheese and enhance taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg