This fresh cranberry salsa is sweet, tangy, and flavorful. Fresh cranberries are whizzed up in a food processor with onions, cilantro, a hit of sugar, jalapeños (if you want) and lime juice. It’s the most gorgeous color. It’s so unique, and everyone loves it! You can serve it with tortilla chips, or my favorite method- spread over cream cheese and eaten on crackers! It’s totally addicting and the hit of every gathering.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
- Food Processor – This is a very finely chopped salsa. A food processor (this is my absolute favorite) is incredibly helpful for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can try other chopper methods, including just getting an arm workout and using a good knife!
- Fresh cranberries – Fresh cranberries are only in stores for a short window during this time of year and they’re SO gorgeous that I love finding ways to use them in the kitchen.
- Jalapeños – I’m not a fan of super spicy things, so I tend to cut way back on things that call for jalapeños, but this is an exception. For the amount it makes, and the fact that everything is mellowed by the cream cheese, you can really add quite a bit of jalapeno and still not have it be too spicy. I added 2 whole peppers and it wasn’t spicy at all. And really, like any salsa, you can adjust all of these ingredients to taste.
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Lime or lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- Cream cheese – Full fat is best, low fat would work but avoid fat-free. It’s important your cream cheese is at room temp, so whipped cream cheese would also work great as it’s naturally softer.
- Cracker of choice, for serving – My favorite are Wheat Thins because they’re strong enough to not break in the cream cheese, and those nice square edges make it really easy to grab the perfect bite. It’s also suuuuper delicious on Ritz crackers, but you’ll want to serve those with a little spreader since the crackers can break.
How To Make Fresh Cranberry Salsa
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor. If you have a large food processor you can pretty much throw everything in there together. If using a smaller one, you can do things in batches.
- Pulse until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down sides.
- Chill for at least a couple of hours to let the berries macerate in the sugar and let all the flavors come together.
- In the mean time, spread some room temperature cream cheese on a pie plate or dish.
- Spread the salsa right over the top. After sitting, some liquid will form and separate. You can use a slotted spoon so you aren’t getting too much extra liquid.
- Serve it with crackers for dipping- having a spreader is helpful!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- Salsa can also be frozen. Let it come to room temperature in the fridge.
- This is a great make-ahead dish you can keep in the fridge to pull out when holiday guests arrive. It’s unique, beautiful, and most importantly- tastes awesome. For best presentation, I prefer to store the salsa and cream cheese separately until time to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Leftovers will be best when eaten within 3 days. If you are making it ahead of time, store salsa separately from cream cheese.
Do I have to add jalapenos?
It’s your kitchen, so you make the call! But the jalapeno does add flavor as well as a little kick. The most intense heat comes from the inner membranes and seeds. If you remove those and add just the outer part of the pepper, it won’t be as spicy. You can always add some little by little until you like the flavor as well!
Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese Dip
The perfect sweet & savory holiday appetizer: bright and tangy cranberries combine with spicy jalapenos and are cooled by creamy cream cheese.
Servings people
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese 2 standard blocks at room temperature
- 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries washed
- 2 jalapenos minced (adjust according to taste)
- ½ cup sliced green onions roughly chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro roughly chopped, more if desired
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar plus more to taste
- Crackers of choice for serving; I prefer Wheat Thins or something sturdy
Instructions
- Make sure to set your cream cheese out at room temperature to soften.
- Place cranberries, jalapeños, green onions cilantro, lime juice, salt, and sugar, in a food processor and process until finely chopped, scraping down sides of food processor as necessary.
- Sample salsa and add more salt and sugar to taste. (I generally find that I like at least 2 tablespoons additional sugar.)
- Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more. To serve, spread room temperature cream cheese evenly in 2 pie plates or other shallow serving dishes, like an 8×8 pan. Spread salsa on top and serve with crackers.
Notes
- Nutrition information was calculated without crackers.
- Feel free to adjust this basic recipe to taste. I like to be heavy-handed with the onion and cilantro, and if you like a kick, add more jalapeno peppers!
- One recipe makes enough for 2 blocks of cream cheese. Often I’ll just serve it over one block at a time and save the extra salsa for another night.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- This is a great make-ahead dish you can keep in the fridge to pull out when holiday guests arrive. It’s unique, beautiful, and most importantly- tastes awesome. For best presentation, I prefer to store the salsa and cream cheese separately until time to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 74mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 424IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 0.2mg
Calories: 130kcal
Cost: $10
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Questions & Reviews
This is awesome. I made it exactly except added the zest of a lime and it was perfect. Loved it!
Do you know if this would be a good candidate for canning?
This recipe is not designed or tested for safe canning so it’s best eaten fresh.
This looks amazing! Question though – I bought some cranberries before they sold out and decided to freeze them so that they won’t go bad. Can I still use them for this recipe if they are frozen?
Yes they should be just fine! They might release a little more moisture after being frozen, but you can always strain out a little liquid if that happens.
I made this for a family gathering, my great niece doesn’t like spicy food, she loved this. I used only one jalapeno pepper, but it still had a little bite. Instead of using cream cheese I used Boursin cheese. Good thing this recipe make a ton. We went through 2 Boursin cheeses, my niece call it “crack” because she couldn’t stop eating it!
It was a real big hit, my niece made sourdough bread to have for dinner and people were using that instead of crackers to get more!
This is an awesome recipe to take to any function.
This was a very surprising recipe! Made it for a work potluck and everybody circled back to it. I only used 1 jalapeno because I’m a wimp but I really liked the spice level (I left the seeds in). What a creative use for cranberries!
this made more than I needed for a party today. I’m wondering if it freezes well? I read through some of the comments but didn’t find the answer. Thanks!
Yes, it does!
Will this be okay without the cilantro? Not a fan! Or conversely does everything else overpower the cilantro so it’s not noticeable? Thanks!
You can totally leave it out!
It adds great color, and you really, really don’t taste it. However. I only used half the amount it called for for the same reason. I also didn’t put the onions in. I’ve had it with the onions and prefer it without. IMO.
I’ve served this so many different ways. It is that good. I’ve done it exactly as the recipe states, over goat cheese instead, with wheat thins, crackers, corn chips, rolled up in a flour tortilla and sliced like sushi, on turkey sandwiches and over a grilled pork roast. It’s so versatile and delicious!
I love all these ideas!
Could you substitute honey for the sugar?
You could, but that’s quite a bit of honey and it might add just too much flavor. You could experiment though!
What about substituting the sugar with powdered Stevia? Trying it out today. Can’t wait!
You’re welcome to experiment with that, I’ve never tried Stevia in this recipe.
This is some good stuff right here…I served with Hint of Lime tortilla chips…outstanding…sending recipe to everyone I know…Thank you….