This no-bake cranberry cheese dip is layered with simmered fresh cranberries, cream cheese, and pecans. Serve it chilled or at room temperature with cinnamon pita chips or graham crackers.
Use Fresh Cranberries in Cranberry Cheese Dip
Make the cranberry topping with fresh cranberries. It only takes a few minutes! If you aren’t familiar with using fresh cranberries, wash them and remove all soft or discolored berries. If you find white cranberries in your bag, use them too. They are less ripe but will still work in this topping.
Cranberries Have Pectin
The great thing about cranberries is they are loaded with pectin, which is a natural thickening agent. The pectin will thicken the topping as it cooks and when it cools, so there is no need to add a thickener like cornstarch.
Use Berry Liqueur for Cranberry Cheese Dip
This recipe uses a berry liqueur to cook the cranberries and intensify their flavor. My favorite is Chambord, but you can use any berry liqueur you like. Don’t worry if you don’t like the flavor of alcohol in your desserts because the alcohol taste cooks away, and you are left with a tangy cranberry reduction.
Cook the Cranberries
It only takes 5 minutes to cook the cranberries. Mash them as they cook to help release their juice. The berries will make popping sounds as they burst.
The cranberry topping can be cooked up to a couple of days ahead of time and refrigerated. Then you can assemble the dessert a couple of hours before your party. Here are the steps for making the dessert.
Serve with Cinnamon Pita Chips
This sweet dip is delicious with cinnamon-sugar pita chips. And it also goes well with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or other cookies. When choosing a dipping cookie, choose one that is not too sweet or rich so as not to compete with the cranberry topping.
Serve at Room Temperature or Slightly Chilled
This dip is best when served at room temperature or slightly chilled. If it is too cold, the cream cheese will harden and become difficult to dip with crackers. You can make it a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until your party. Then sit the dip out for 45 minutes before serving it.
Cranberry Cheese Dip Serves Six
This dip serves about six but can be doubled to serve a larger group. Be sure to provide plenty of cinnamon pita chips or other dipping cookies or crackers.
Other Cranberry Recipes
Here are some other cranberry recipes you might enjoy. Click on each name to link to the recipe.
No-Bake Cranberry Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cranberry Layer
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Chambord liqueur
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
Cream Cheese Layer
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Then place the mixture into a 6 x 8-inch dish and smooth with a spoon. Place into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
Cranberry Layer
- Place the sugar, Chambord, orange juice, and cranberries in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on medium heat and cook until the cranberries burst. Using a masher, tamp the berries to help break them. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool for a few minutes. Then move the mixture into the refrigerator to chill. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- After the cranberries chill, spoon them over the cold cream cheese layer and sprinkle pecans over the cranberry layer.
- Serve with cinnamon pita chips or graham crackers.