Description
A vibrant and tangy Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip that blends tart frozen cranberries with sweet apricot preserves and crunchy pecans, served chilled with buttery crackers or pretzel chips. Perfect for holiday gatherings or festive appetizers.
Ingredients
Scale
Dip Mixture
- 12 oz frozen whole cranberries, thawed
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup apricot preserves or jam
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Base
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 bricks), softened
For Serving
- Buttery crackers or pretzel chips
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cranberry mixture: In a large saucepan, combine thawed cranberries, white sugar, apricot preserves or jam, and water. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches a boil.
- Cook the mixture: As the mixture heats, it will bubble, become frothy, and you may hear the cranberries popping. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until most berries have popped and the sauce begins to darken in color.
- Incorporate pecans: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the chopped pecans evenly into the cranberry sauce. Set aside to cool completely.
- Chill the mixture: Allow the cranberry and pecan mixture to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it until it is fully chilled.
- Prepare cream cheese base: Place the softened cream cheese on a serving dish and gently press the center to create a shallow well or divot.
- Assemble the dip: Spoon the chilled cranberry and pecan mixture into the divot on top of the cream cheese, spreading slightly as desired.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired and serve immediately with buttery crackers or pretzel chips for dipping.
Notes
- For a smoother texture, finely chop pecans or substitute with walnuts or almonds.
- Use low-fat cream cheese for a lighter version, but it may affect creaminess.
- Apricot preserves can be replaced with orange marmalade for a citrusy twist.
- Let the dip chill for at least 2 hours for the best flavor fusion.
- Fresh mint garnish is optional but adds a fresh aroma and color contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup dip with crackers
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
