Spicy Cranberry Dip

Spicy Cranberry Dip is an easy holiday appetizer made with cream cheese, sour cream and Santa Fe Seasons Hatch Red Chile Cranberry Sauce. The creamy dip is chilled in a bowl, inverted onto a serving plate and covered with sweet, tart and spicy cranberry sauce.

This no-cook cranberry cream cheese dip requires only four ingredients. Prepare it at least one hour before serving so the cream cheese mixture has enough time to chill and hold its shape.

Spicy Cranberry Dip Recipe Details

Chilling time: 1 hour
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Southwestern
Cooking method: No-cook

Ingredients

• Santa Fe Seasons Hatch Red Chile Cranberry Sauce, as needed

• 2 packages cream cheese, softened

• ¾ cup sour cream

• 1 box water crackers or wheat crackers, for serving

How to Make Spicy Cranberry Dip

1. Place the softened cream cheese and sour cream in a mixing bowl.

2. Mix until the cream cheese and sour cream are evenly combined.

3. Line a separate bowl with plastic wrap.

4. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to the plastic-lined bowl.

5. Refrigerate the dip for one hour.

6. Invert the chilled bowl onto a serving plate.

7. Remove the bowl and carefully peel away the plastic wrap.

8. Spread Santa Fe Seasons Hatch Red Chile Cranberry Sauce over the resulting cream cheese dome.

9. Serve the dip with water crackers or wheat crackers.

Tips for Making Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

Allow the cream cheese to soften before mixing it with the sour cream. Properly softened cream cheese produces a smoother base and is easier to combine evenly.

Press the cream cheese mixture gently into the lined bowl so it takes on the bowl’s shape. Refrigerate it for the full hour before attempting to unmold it.

Add the cranberry sauce after transferring the dip to the serving plate. This keeps the red cranberry topping visible and prevents it from mixing into the cream cheese base.

What Makes This Cranberry Dip Spicy?

The heat comes from Santa Fe Seasons Hatch Red Chile Cranberry Sauce. The sauce combines cranberries with orange, port wine, cane sugar and authentic New Mexico red chile.

Its balance of tart cranberry flavor, sweetness and red chile warmth complements the mild cream cheese and sour cream base.

Make-Ahead and Serving Tips

Prepare and chill the cream cheese mixture before guests arrive. Wait until the dip has been inverted onto its serving plate before adding the cranberry sauce.

Keep the dip refrigerated until serving because it contains cream cheese and sour cream. Return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly in a covered container.

Water crackers provide a neutral base that keeps the cranberry and red chile flavors prominent. Wheat crackers add a heartier flavor and texture.

More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

For another cream-cheese appetizer, try the Spicy Southwest Cheese Ball.

You can also use red chile cranberry flavor in Red Chile Cranberry Tartlets or make Red Chile Cranapple Pie for dessert.

Browse the complete Taste New Mexico recipe collection for more New Mexico-inspired appetizers, meals and desserts.