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Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

Cranberry cream cheese spread with a jewel-red fresh cranberry salsa layered over softened cream cheese. Pulse, stir, chill 1 hour for bold sweet-tart flavor, then spoon on top for a chunky, glossy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry topping
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Cream cheese base
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
Serving
  • 1 crackers for serving

Equipment

  • 1 food processor
  • 1 serving plate

Method
 

Make the cranberry salsa
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped, pausing to scrape down if needed.
  2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sugar, green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until evenly combined.
Chill to meld flavors
  1. Cover and chill the cranberry mixture at 40°F for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld, with a glossy, evenly distributed look.
Assemble the spread
  1. Spread the softened cream cheese onto a serving plate in an even layer.
  2. Spoon the cranberry mixture over the top just before serving so the contrast stays bright, then serve immediately with crackers.

Notes

For the cleanest texture, pulse the cranberries in short bursts and stop as soon as they’re finely chopped (avoid turning them into puree). Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the spread will still taste good, but the salsa can bleed slightly—stir before serving. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in cream cheese. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese while keeping the same cranberry salsa mix.