Inside: If you are looking for an amazing and unique appetizer to take your next holiday party, look no further – this creamy cranberry dip is easy to make and sure to be a hit.
We are at the time of year where holiday gatherings are starting and everyone is rushing to think of what foods to take to share with friends and family. It can be hard to think of something unique that people will like, but this festive dip that I am going to share today fits the bill.
When most people think of cranberries during the holidays, they think of fresh cranberry sauce. Even though it is a common food to share at Thanksgiving, a lot of times there is a lot of leftovers since it isn’t always the most popular dish. Today, I am going to share a recipe for another recipe that uses fresh cranberries, but that is combined with delicious brie and gouda cheeses which makes for a creamy dip that everyone will love.
What is Cranberry Dip?
Cranberry dip is one of many cranberry recipes that you can make for holiday parties. This particular easy dip recipe combines fresh ingredients, like tart cranberries, coconut sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and orange zest, with brie and gouda cheeses. It is then baked in the oven and served with crackers. This is a perfect appetizer, because it is easy to make and easy to share. People can scoop it up onto their plate and enjoy it with their favorite crackers or even just with a spoon.
A common variation is to use cream cheese if you prefer that over brie and gouda, but I find that these decadent cheeses make a huge difference and everyone seems to love it! If you have all the ingredients, you can even make it at the last minute, because it doesn’t take long at all to through together.
How do you make this Cranberry Dip?
To make this perfect holiday party appetizer, you will gather the following simple ingredients:
- 1 bag of fresh cranberries (you can use frozen cranberries if that is what you have)
- 4 Tbsp of coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Juice from one orange
- 1/2 tbsp of orange zest
- Brie cheese
- Smoked Gouda, cut into cubes (optional)
- Fresh rosemary
You will start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a small bowl combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Next, in a 9×13 inch baking dish combine cranberries, coconut sugar and cinnamon mixture, and the fresh orange juice and zest, and stir well.
Finally, add the round of brie cheese to the middle of the dish and add the cubes of smoked gouda and the rosemary. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Once cooked, remove from the oven, give it a quick stir, and serve with and assortment of crackers, tortilla chips, pretzel crisps, or pita chips.
If you don’t have brie cheese, you can replace it with a block of cream cheese and it will still have a similar creamy texture and taste.
This recipe is great right out of the oven, but you can also save any leftover dip for the next day. Just keep it in an airtight container, or in the same serving dish with plastic wrap over the top and it will be ready to continue enjoying later.
The delicious seasonal flavors of this dip make it a perfect option for family gatherings any time of year, and it is my new favorite way to use cranberries.
Check out these other holiday favorite recipes
- Autenticos Buñuelos Mexicanos
- How To Make Authentic Sweet Tamales (3 Different Varieties)
- How To Make Delicious Smoked Turkey on a Traeger
- Authentic Mexican Chiles En Nogada Recipe
The Best Creamy Cranberry Dip
Ingredients
- 1 bag cranberries
- 4 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 orange juice
- 1/2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 round brie cheese
- 2 oz smoked gouda in cubes
- fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Combine the cinnamon and coconut sugar in a small bowl, set aside.
- Combine the cranberries, cinnamon and coconut sugar mixture, orange juice and orange zest in a 9x13 baking dish.
- Add the round of brie in the middle and top with the cubes of smoked gouda and fresh rosemary
- Bake for 30 minutes and serve with crackers.