White Cheddar Cranberry Dip

White Cheddar Cream Cheese Cranberry Dip with hand holding crostini with beautiful red and white dip on it.

5 from 6 votes

White Cheddar Cranberry Dip

This White Cheddar Cranberry dip is not only easy, it’s mouthwatering and perfect for the holiday season. Just 4 simple ingredients to this cheesy, gooey, sweet, salty and savory dip. Using homemade cranberry sauce (or leftover) and fresh cranberries this cream cheese cranberry dip is the best.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time18 mins

Total Time33 mins

Course: Holiday Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: aged cheddar cheese, appetizer, cheese with cranberries, cream cheese cranberry dip, white cheddar cranberry dip

Servings: -10 servings

Calories: 279kcal

Author: Kathleen Pope • The Fresh Cooky 2021

Equipment

Ingredients

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

1 bag 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed (divided)
1 cup cane sugar granulated
3 tablespoons orange juice fresh squeezed is best
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup water

White Cheddar Cranberry Dip

2 cups Extra-Sharp Cheddar cheese grated (divided)
8 oz cream cheese full fat, or Neufchatel is fine, room temperature
¼ cup homemade cranberry sauce heaping (recipe provided)
½ cup fresh cranberries may substitute with frozen, do not thaw

Instructions

How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Remove 1/2 cup of cranberries for the dip. Add the rest of the cranberries, granulated sugar, orange and lemon juice and water to a small saucepan. Stir to combine, cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
The sugar will dissolve and the cranberries will start to burst and pop, you want some cranberries rather whole, while others will disintegrate. NOTE: This recipe makes more than needed for the Cream Cheese Cranberry dip, store leftovers in airtight container in fridge and use another time. Or use leftover cranberry sauce.
White Cheddar Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Lightly spray a small 1 ½ quart baking dish (I love the smaller one in this set ) with a little spray oil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (350 if using convection oven or mode).
In a medium-large mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese and aged cheddar cheese until combined.
Grate some fresh nutmeg into the cheese mixture and combine, this is a taste preference. I like a little more, about ½ a teaspoon (ground may be substituted).
Gently stir in the cranberry sauce and 1/2 cup reserved fresh cranberries, then spooning the cranberry mixture evenly into prepared baking dish, baking 18-23 minutes (15 minutes if convection) until bubbly in the middle and the edges.
Cover if needed with some foil (shiny side down) if browning too quickly.
A few minutes before you are ready to pull it out of the oven, sprinkle remaining aged cheddar cheese on top and remove foil to brown a bit.
Serve immediately with crostini, crackers or pita chips. If desired, grate a little more fresh grated nutmeg over the top.
How to Make Crostini
You can purchase these already baked, however; making your own is not only easy, but superior in taste, plus I prefer them slightly less crunchy than store bought; you might like in this Easy Tomato Bruschetta.
TFC PRO TIP | Purchase a fresh French Baguette from the bakery at your store, then run it through the slicer machine, evenly sliced pieces every-single-time!
Pour a little olive oil into a shallow bowl, then lightly dip (don’t dunk) one side of the baguette slices into the oil and place on baking sheet. Alternatively, you may use a pastry brush and brush the tops with oil.
Repeat with as many as you are making. I like to sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt as well.
Toaster Oven & Conventional Oven Crostini
Place in toaster oven under the toast setting and set for your desired brownness, I love my new Breville Smart Oven, I set it on toast for 8 slices on the 5-6 setting and they came out perfectly.
Conventional Oven
Preheat oven to broil. Place baking sheet in middle of oven, and broil for about 2 minutes, checking often. The crostinis may be made ahead of time.

Notes

Variations & Substitutions

Jalapeno Cranberry Dip | Like it spicy? Add two tablespoons of chopped jarred jalapenos to the cheese with cranberries mixture. Sweet, Spicy and YUMMY!
Swap the cream cheese for Mascarpone cheese for a creamy, cranberry cream cheese dip.
Love nuts? Add ¼ cup of your favorite chopped nuts, a deconstructed cranberry cheese ball.
Mix in a little fresh chopped rosemary for an earthy taste.

This dip may be made ahead of time, covered in fridge, bring to room temp before baking in preheated oven.

This cranberry dip is naturally gluten-free, do not use pre-shredded cheese.

Vegan Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip | Replace cream cheese and shredded sharp cheddar with your favorite plant-based substitutions.

This recipe easily doubles | Absolutely, use a 7x11 or 2 quart casserole dish, double the ingredients and bake until bubbly all the way through.

Storage & Rewarming

Make this dip up to 2 days in advance, covered in fridge, bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes) and bake as directed.
After baking, cool dip completely, store in airtight container in fridge up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this white cheddar cranberry dip.
To rewarm | place in oven safe dish and warm covered with foil in 250 degree F oven for about 20-30 minutes. Or place in microwave safe container and warm in 30-45 second intervals until bubbly. Serve immediately.

Nutrition