Dried cranberries, fresh jalapeños, green onions and cream cheese are combined to create a delicious sweet and savory cranberry-jalapeño cream cheese dip. Form this dip into a festive cheese ball in the shape of an ornament for the perfect appetizer for your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday party. Covered in bright red cranberries, the vibrant color of this cranberry jalapeño cheese ball brightens any table scape and adds a festive touch to your holiday season appetizer spread.
You control the heat.
I love spice so I use two jalapeños in this dip. If you prefer less heat, use one. If you REALLY like the heat, add an extra jalapeño pepper or add some of the ribs/membrane and seeds into the dip but make sure that you taste it as you go to ensure it’s not too spicy!
Forming the Ornament
This holiday cranberry jalapeño cheese ball uses softened cream cheese so that the ingredients can be thoroughly combined. To make the ball shape, wrap the dip in plastic wrap in a ball and refrigerate at least a few hours (I usually make it the night before and refrigerate overnight) before decorating with the cranberries and an ornament cap. For the ornament cap I simply remove the cap from an inexpensive shatterproof ornament and tie a piece of black/white or red/white cotton twine for the hook.
Variations
- Love cranberries? Mix an additional 1/4 cup dried cranberries into the cheese ball for a total of 1/2 cup dried cranberries – 1/4 cup inside the cheese ball and 1/4 cup on the outside.
- Add 3 slices of cooled, crispy-cooked bacon crumbles into the cheese ball.
- Add a mixture of dried cranberries and pieces of nuts (pecans are my favorite) to the outside of the cheese ball for a nutty flavor and added protein.
- Add a handful of shredded sharp cheddar or white cheddar cheese to the cheese ball mixture for extra cheesy flavor.
- Love Sweet heat? For a sweeter version, add sugar to the cream cheese mixture. Start by adding about 1/2 tablespoon. Give it a taste and add more if necessary.
What’s in this Holiday Cranberry Jalapeño Cheese Ball?
- Jalapeño Peppers – Adjust the amount you use based on your preference for spice.
- Green onion
- Lemon juice, lime juice or orange juice
- Salt
- Cream cheese
- Dried cranberries
Looking for more festive appetizer ideas?
Holiday Cranberry Jalapeño Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 medium jalapeño peppers Depending on how much spice you like. Seeds/membranes removed and finely chopped (keep the ribs/membranes and seeds in for extra spice).
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice or orange juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened. I suggest using full fat for this dip as it holds form much better than the low fat version.
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Combine the jalapeños, green onion, lemon or orange juice, salt and 1/4 cup halved dried cranberries in a bowl and stir to mix. If you prefer a sweeter dip, add sugar. Start with 1/2 tablespoon and add more to taste.
- Add the softened cream cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
- To form the shape of an ornament, place the mixture in the center of a piece of plastic wrap and wrap it into a ball and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Remove it from the refrigerator and decorate using the 1/4 cup dried whole cranberries and an ornament cap and ribbon or cotton twine.
- Serve with crackers, gluten free crackers or pita chips.
Have you tried using fresh cranberries instead of dried?
I make a delicious dip using fresh cranberries and jalapeños so my original attempt at this recipe was a recreation of that. Unfortunately I found that with the moisture from the fresh cranberries, it didn’t hold form to create the ornament so I changed the recipe and used dried instead. If you decide to use fresh, make sure you drain and dry them thoroughly.