This Cranberry Bacon Cream Cheese Appetizer is easy to make but has such an impressive presentation. It’s the perfect appetizer for your holiday spread or even for a fancy dinner party! Made by topping a large block of cream cheese with a delicious bacon and cranberry mixture that’s so addictive, it’s such a delicious combination. This is one of my favorite easy appetizer recipes, it takes just 20 minutes to make, and can be served with just about anything, from crackers to veggies! If you love cream cheese appetizers, try my cream cheese balls for something a bit different! This classic Cheese Ball recipe is a great savory appetizer for a crowd during the holiday season, while my Snickers Cheese Ball is a great option for dessert. See more of our favorite Christmas Appetizers here!
Ingredients Needed:
Bacon: use your favorite kind of bacon for this recipe. I usually use thick cut! Onion and Garlic: use freshly minced garlic and fresh onion for a great savory flavor base for the topping. Cranberries: dried cranberries and cranberry juice add sweet and tart flavors as well as a great texture to the topping. Seasonings: use salt and freshly cracked black pepper to enhance the flavors, with some red pepper flakes on top for a spicy kick. Brown Sugar: helps caramelize and sweeten the topping. Balsamic Vinegar: adds a burst of tangy sweetness to the topping. Coffee: use hot or cold coffee, so save some from your morning brew. Cornstarch: a little bit of cornstarch will make the topping a bit thicker. Cream Cheese: full-fat cream cheese will give you the flavor and texture you want, but use whichever brand you prefer. You can also use light cream cheese. Garnish: top with fresh parsley and fresh cranberries as desired. Serve with Ritz crackers or your favorite kind of crackers on the side for dipping!
How to Make Easy Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Tips and Notes
Use high-quality cream cheese. As it’s the base of the dip, you’ll want to make sure you use good-quality cream cheese for the best flavor. Blend it into a dip. You can serve this appetizer as I have, as a block with a topping, or you can blend it together to make a flavorful cream cheese dip that is great for serving with crackers, veggie sticks, or even tortilla chips! Simply stir the cream cheese in a large bowl to break it down, adding some milk if needed to thin it out, and mix in the bacon cranberry topping. For a lighter texture, you can whip the cream cheese with some cream or a bit of sour cream, or purchase a tub of plain whipped cream cheese. Spread it onto a serving plate and top with the bacon jam.
Cranberry Bacon Cream Cheese Appetizer Variations
Cranberry sauce. I love serving this cream cheese appetizer with fresh cranberries on the side for an extra burst of color, but fresh cranberry sauce will work well too! Adding spice. The red pepper flakes add a bit of spice to this appetizer, but you can add some chopped jalapeño chile or hot sauce to add even more spice if you want.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this amazing appetizer as the center of your Christmas Day starter, or serve it with some of my other appetizers at a Christmas party. These Jalapeno Poppers, Pigs in Blankets, and Mozzarella Sticks are also great options alongside this dip or simply make some veggie sticks for a healthier dipping option. Try some of my Homemade Breadsticks or my No Knead Artisan Bread for dipping instead of crackers if you prefer something a bit heartier!
More Holiday Appetizers to Try
Cranberry and Bacon Cream Cheese Appetizer
Baked Brie Bites
Cheese Ball recipe
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
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