This cranberry jalapeño dip recipe makes the perfect vegetarian appetizer for the holidays. It is savory, sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy with a festive color! Plus, you can make it ahead in just 10 minutes, and requires no cooking.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Dip
- Quick and easy to make in just 10 minutes!
- Both cranberry dips are gluten-free, vegetarian, and low-carb! Depending on the version you choose, it can be dairy-free (hummus version) or sugar-free/keto (cream cheese version).
- Make ahead of time (up to 3-4 days)
- No cooking
- Delicious and creamy
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make our dairy-free jalapeño cranberry dip, you’ll need:
- 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained (or garbanzo beans)
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 2 teaspoons tahini paste (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ jalapeno, de-seeded and chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup Marsala Cooking Wine
- ¼ cup olive oil (plus extra to drizzle on top)
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or another herb of your choice)
For a sugar-free or keto cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 cup keto cranberry sauce
- ½ jalapeno, de-seeded and chopped
- A dash of salt
- 4 tablespoons erythritol (or more if desired) – Use any sugar substitute of your choice!
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or green onion)
How to Make Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
- To make the dairy-free recipe (with chickpeas or cranberry hummus), place all ingredients (but only 1 teaspoon of the rosemary) in a blender. Blend them until they obtain a creamy and smooth mixture. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of Marsala Wine to help blend the mixture more easily.
- Then, spoon the mixture into a serving bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, and sprinkle on the remaining 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Serve with pita chips and crudité vegetables such as celery stalks and sweet peppers. Enjoy!
- For making a low-carb/sugar-free cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip, combine all the ingredients in a food process, blending until obtaining a mostly smooth and creamy dip. Taste and add extra salt, sweetener, or lemon juice to the dip mixture. Blend again and transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and enjoy!
Variations
- Without jalapeno: If you aren’t a fan of spicy dips, omit the jalapeno to make a cranberry cream cheese dip recipe.
- With cheese: If you aren’t on a dairy-free diet, you can opt to make your dip with cheese instead of chickpeas and also vary the type of cheese each time. Here are a few options: Cranberry whipped feta dip (made with feta cheese instead of cream cheese) and cranberry brie dip (made with creamy brie melted in the oven, topped with the cranberry sauce, and then mixed).
What to Serve with
Here are a few options to serve with our jalapeno cranberry dip:
- Pita chips
- Crudité vegetables (celery sticks, cucumber sticks, red bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus spears)
- Mini toasts or crostini
- Breadsticks
- Crackers
- Sugared cranberries (as a topping or garnish)
- Sparkling cranberry cocktail
FAQs
Although appetites vary, you can serve about ¼ cup of dip per person.
You can keep it cold at a party by simply stacking your dip bowl on top of an ice bowl or container.
How to Store
- Store this cranberry jalapeno dip (with or without cheese) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing is not recommended if you make the version with cream cheese. However, you can freeze the dairy-free version (with chickpeas or cranberry hummus) for up to 2 months and thaw it in the fridge.
Other Dip Recipes
- Whipped ricotta dip
- Pumpkin dip
- Cream cheese fruit dip
- Keto buffalo chicken dip
- Whipped feta dip
- Baked feta
- Keto hummus
- Chipotle lime dip
- Queso fundido
PIN AND ENJOY!
BEST Cranberry jalapeño Dip
Equipment
- 1 serving bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups canned chickpeas drained (or garbanzo beans)
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 2 teaspoons tahini paste optional
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ jalapeno de-seeded and chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup Marsala Cooking Wine
- ¼ cup olive oil plus extra to drizzle on top
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped (or another herb of your choice)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (but only 1 teaspoon of the rosemary) in a blender. Blend them together until obtaining a creamy and smooth mixture. If needed, add additional 1-2 tablespoons Marsala Wine to help blend mixture more easily.
- Then, spoon the mixture into a serving bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, and sprinkle on remaining 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Serve with pita chips and crudité vegetables such as celery stalks and sweet peppers. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup keto cranberry sauce
½ jalapeno, de-seeded and chopped
A dash of salt
4 tablespoons erythritol (or more if desired) – Use any sugar substitute of your choice!
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or green onion) Instructions:
- For making a low-carb/sugar-free cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip, combine all the ingredients in a food process, blending until obtaining a mostly smooth and creamy dip.
- Taste and add extra salt, sweetener, or lemon juice to the dip mixture. Blend again and transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and enjoy!
- Store this cranberry jalapeno dip (with or without cheese) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing is not recommended if you make the version with cream cheese. However, you can freeze the dairy-free version (with chickpeas or cranberry hummus) for up to 2 months and thaw it in the fridge.
- Leftovers can be used as a spread for sandwiches and roll-ups, or as a filling for savory pastries.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on December 5th, 2018. It was originally written on behalf of Holland House, and then updated.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
An interesting take on hummus, perfect for the holidays.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
I've made a hummus with cranberry in it before, but never thought to add Marsala. I'll have to try that! Neat idea -- thanks.
Denise Browning says
Thanks John! It gives extra flavor and a special touch to the dish.