Hey there! I recently put together a big guide to the tools and supplies a novice baker needs (and what they don’t), which makes for a perfect gift guide for the holidays. If you haven’t checked it out already, take a look! The Ultimate Baking Equipment Gift List for a Novice Baker.
This year for Thanksgiving, we spent the day at my partner’s parents’ place, which means we didn’t do the full Thanksgiving spread we normally do. Instead, we delayed it, and had our big Thanksgiving dinner a couple weeks later.
Because I had already gotten a couple of the usual Thanksgiving sides out of my system by then, I decided I wanted to try something new. I was considering a cheese ball, but nothing quite sounded good enough. But what about cranberry?
Fruits of all kinds go great with cream cheese, and cranberry is definitely no exception. A tart cranberry compote poured over softened cream cheese, with pecans for crunch and onions for added depth of flavor? This recipe worked out great.
I also bought some pretzel-crackers to use for dipping and they were delicious. Of course, you’re free to use whatever kind of crackers, breads, or whatever else you want to dip in it. It’s mostly cranberry and cream cheese, so whatever goes well with that in your mind.
You might wonder if the green onion is essential, or if you can leave it off. Personally, I think it adds an interesting depth of flavor without being overpowering. You don’t feel like you’re eating chunks of onion, especially if you make this dip ahead of time and let the flavors mingle.
I know some people add in jalapenos instead. I think that would work fine too, but it’s not what I was after, so I left them out.
Not much else to say about this one! It’s pretty simple to throw together and goes great for a couple of days, if it lasts that long.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
- Rubber Spatula
- Stand Mixer Optional
Ingredients
- 6 Oz Fresh Cranberries
- ½ Cup Water
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 8 Oz Cream Cheese
- 3 Green Onions Sliced small
- ⅓ Cup Pecans Chopped
Instructions
- In your sauce pan, combine the cranberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Heat this over medium heat, covered, until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the berries break down and the sauce is thickening up.6 Oz Fresh Cranberries, ½ Cup Water, ¼ Cup Sugar, 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Once thickened, transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl and place it in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
- Using your spatula, or in a mixer, beat the cream cheese until it's smooth. Place it in a shallow dish and form it into a bowl shape.8 Oz Cream Cheese
- Pour the cranberry sauce over the cream cheese, and top with the onions and pecans. You can leave it as-is or mix it all together, whichever you prefer. Serve with crackers and enjoy!3 Green Onions, ⅓ Cup Pecans