Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip (Sweet and Spicy Holiday Appetizer)

Why you’ll love it

• Sweet, tart and spicy: fresh cranberries and jalapeño balanced by cool, creamy cream cheese.
• 15 minutes of work: the food processor does the chopping; the refrigerator does the rest.
• Holiday-pretty and make-ahead: a bright red appetizer you can prepare a day early.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the cranberry jalapeño relish

• 1 bag (12 oz / 340 g) fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over (or frozen, thawed and drained)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup (100 to 150 g) granulated sugar, to taste
• 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1/3 cup); keep some seeds for more heat
• 3 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1/4 cup (10 g) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)

For the base and serving

• 2 packages (8 oz / 225 g each) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk, to make the cream cheese easier to spread
• Fresh cilantro leaves and a few whole cranberries, for garnish
• Buttery crackers, pita chips or tortilla chips, for serving

Step-by-step method

1. Pulse the cranberries. Put the cranberries and 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar in a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times, until the berries are coarsely chopped.

2. Add the aromatics. Add the jalapeños, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, salt and cumin (if using). Pulse 8 to 12 more times, scraping down the sides once, until everything is finely chopped but still chunky, like a salsa. Do not purée it.

3. Taste and adjust. Taste the relish. Cranberries vary in tartness, so add up to 1/4 cup (50 g) more sugar if it is too sour and pulse once or twice to mix.

4. Chill. Transfer the relish to a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. The sugar draws out the juices, softens the heat of the jalapeño and blends the flavors.

5. Prepare the base. In a medium bowl, beat or stir the softened cream cheese with the milk until smooth. Spread it in an even layer about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick on a shallow serving platter or in a pie dish.

6. Assemble and serve. Stir the relish, then use a slotted spoon to drain off most of the juice and spoon the relish evenly over the cream cheese. Garnish with cilantro and a few whole cranberries and serve right away with crackers or chips.

How to know it is done

The relish is ready when the cranberries are finely chopped into small, even pieces about the size of a lentil, with visible flecks of green from the jalapeño, onion and cilantro, and it has released a glossy red juice after chilling. It should taste sweet first, then tart and gently spicy, with no bitter or raw edge. If it still tastes sharp or very hot after 4 hours, chill it longer; the flavor mellows overnight.

Tips for the best result

• Pulse, do not blend; you want a chunky relish with texture, not a smooth sauce.
• Drain the relish with a slotted spoon before topping the cream cheese so the dip does not get runny.
• Use brick cream cheese at room temperature so it spreads in a smooth, even layer.
• Wear gloves when seeding jalapeños, and do not touch your eyes.
• Make the relish the day before; it tastes best after resting overnight.

Variations and substitutions

• Extra spicy: leave the seeds in one jalapeño or add half a serrano pepper.
• Mild: use 1 jalapeño, fully seeded, for a kid-friendly version.
• Honey-sweetened: replace the sugar with 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 to 120 ml) honey.
• Whipped feta base: blend 8 oz (225 g) feta with 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese and 2 tbsp olive oil instead of all cream cheese.
• Goat cheese: use 8 oz (225 g) soft goat cheese and 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese for a tangier base.
• Orange twist: swap the lime zest for orange zest and add 1 tbsp orange juice.

Make ahead

The cranberry jalapeño relish can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. You can also spread the cream cheese on the serving platter up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator; let it stand 15 minutes at room temperature, then drain the relish and top the dip just before serving so the colors stay bright.

Storage and reheating

Store leftover assembled dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the cream cheese will turn pink where the juice touches it, but it still tastes great. Leftover relish on its own keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days; spoon it over roast turkey, pork, grilled chicken or turkey sandwiches. The dip is served cold and does not need reheating. The relish can be frozen for up to 2 months, but do not freeze the cream cheese base.