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Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

Cranberry cream cheese spread with a jewel-red fresh cranberry salsa, balanced with lime juice and jalapeno heat. Chilled for at least 1 hour, it turns creamy and tangy with spoonable topping over crackers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry jalapeno salsa
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 2 green onions
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Cream cheese layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
Serving
  • 1 crackers for serving

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Make the cranberry jalapeno salsa
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped, stopping to scrape the sides as needed for an even texture.
  2. Transfer the chopped cranberries to a bowl and stir in the sugar, green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until well combined.
Chill
  1. Cover and chill the cranberry mixture for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld together and thicken slightly.
Assemble and serve
  1. Spread the softened cream cheese onto a serving plate in an even layer using an offset motion so it reaches the edges.
  2. Spoon the chilled cranberry mixture over the top just before serving so the topping stays vibrant and the spread remains creamy.
  3. Serve with crackers on the side for scooping and easy topping.

Notes

For the cleanest spread, let the cream cheese sit at room temperature only until soft enough to spread, then assemble right before serving. Refrigerate the cranberry mixture up to 3 days; assemble within 24 hours for best texture. Freeze the cranberry mixture only (cream cheese texture may change after thawing); thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a lower-sugar option, replace the sugar with an equal-measure granulated sugar substitute that dissolves like sugar.