My mom made this Christmas appetizer last year and I instantly fell in love! So much so that I scrolled ahead in my calendar and made a note to share the recipe on my blog this year. The recipe was sent to my mom from a friend in an email, so I don't know the original source, but a little googling showed me that cranberry jalapeño dip is actually a fairly common recipe. Why oh why had I never heard of this deliciousness before!?!?
Raw fresh cranberries are tossed with jalapeño, cilantro, and sugar and left to marinate overnight. You might be intimidated to bite into raw cranberries, but trust me on this. The sugar gets dissolved and takes the cranberries from mouth-punchingly sour, to a more subtle tartness. Combine the tart pops of cranberry with spice, a sweet marinade, and velvety vegan cream cheese for a total explosion of delicious flavours.
Not only is this dip super easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time, but I just love the festive colours. It truly is the perfect Christmas or holiday appetizer. This is definitely a new holiday staple for me.
To make Cranberry Jalapeño Dip:
Add the cranberries, white sugar, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, jalapeño, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 2 days. I usually let it marinate overnight. The sugar will dissolve and the cranberries will become less tart.
Note: I know that seems like a lot of sugar, but trust me, those cranberries need it!
To assemble the dip, spread the vegan cream cheese in a thin layer on the bottom of your serving dish. You can use 1 tub of store-bought vegan cream cheese or you can make your own homemade cream cheese.
Spoon the cranberry mixture overtop leaving any extra liquid behind in the bowl. Serve the cranberry jalapeño dip with crackers and be prepared to be amazed at how deliciously addictive this is!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
The perfect Christmas appetizer! Easy to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and looks super festive! Tart pops of cranberry with spice, a sweet marinade, and velvety vegan cream cheese for a total explosion of delicious flavours.
- 6 oz fresh cranberries (2 cups), sliced in half
- ½ cup white sugar
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 handful cilantro (about ¼ cup), chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese (about 1 cup), (homemade or store-bought)
- Crackers for serving
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Add the cranberries, white sugar, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, jalapeño, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 2 days. I usually let it marinate overnight. The sugar will dissolve and the cranberries will become less tart.
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To assemble the dip, spread the vegan cream cheese in a thin layer on the bottom of your serving dish. Spoon the cranberry mixture onto the cream cheese layer leaving behind any extra liquid behind in the bowl. Serve with crackers.
Make-ahead tips: the cranberry mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. The assembled dip can be covered and refrigerated 2 - 3 hours before serving.
Jalapeño: I love spice so I add the entire jalapeño but you can use half a jalapeño or even less if you prefer.
Serving tips: I served mine on a plate, but for easier and less messy scooping I recommend serving this in a flat bowl or a dish that has sides.
Nutrition
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I was so curious about this recipe and decided to try it out for a Christmas app. Every recipe I have tried from Sam has been great so I didn’t hesitate. Well I’m glad I didn’t because it was a huge hit! This will be a staple dish for holidays and parties to come. Thank you!!
Yay!!! So happy you gave it a go and love it, Sarah!! 🙂
delicious- served with your cream cheese and disappeared quick everyone loved it!
Used some of the cranberry mix on mixed greens for a snack super good.
Wonderful!! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
I was intrigued by this recipe, so I finally made it...
It is so so good!! And pretty! I made it with your cream cheese, and the crunchy/velvety mix, with all the flavors is seriously addictive!!
Thank you Sam!!
Yay! Thrilled you loved it, Hedwig 🙂
This is a keeper! As soon as I saw the picture of this recipe, I wanted to make it for my next party. Last night, I brought this to a friend’s house and it was a hit. It is very easy to make and the flavors just come together perfectly. Because I was traveling with this, I used a simple clear, round Pyrex bowl with a lid. It looked nice, but I think when I make it on xmas eve I will use a plate so I can spread it out a bit. Great recipe!
wonderful!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Joanne 🙂
Made this for a potluck at work: mind blowing!
Wish there was an easy to slice the cranberries... but it’s a keeper! Really good!
So thrilled you enjoyed, Isabelle! You could pulse the cranberries in a food processor, but then they wouldn't be as pretty...
I am going to pulse my berries next time. Less adventurous eaters may be more likely to try. It’s funny watching people who are unsure if they want to try halved berries!
I think you meant to say 'minimum of 4 hours or up to 2 days,' not 'minimum of 4 or up to 2 days.' Great recipe!
I sure did! Fixed now. Thanks for pointing that out and I hope you enjoy the dip 🙂