Smoked paprika and bacon bits give it a wonderfully smoky flavor. Chives are an optional—and delicious—addition. This delicious dip makes an excellent appetizer or snack. It’s one of the best tools in my arsenal to entice picky eaters to eat their vegetables! Some dips, like this pizza dip, are fairly complex and require baking in the oven, but this one is super easy and literally ready in ten minutes. Pimento cheese is another excellent option if you want something quick.
Instructions
Serving Suggestions
Recipe Card
Cream cheese: It’s best to use a block of cream cheese and not a tub of “cream cheese spread.” Sour cream: I’m often asked if reduced-fat sour cream is OK. It is, but it is not recommended. Full-fat ingredients provide the best flavor and texture. Mustard: I use Dijon mustard. This thick and creamy French mustard adds tang and saltiness to the dip. Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar adds texture and flavor. Bacon bits: These add a wonderful smoky flavor and saltiness.
Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 10 seconds per side. You want it to be very soft so that it will be easy to mix by hand. Place the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and stir it with a spoon or a rubber spatula. This will soften it further and aerate it, making it fluffy. Add the shredded cheese and mix until thoroughly combined. This will take a couple of minutes. That’s it! The dip is ready. Serve it with fresh-cut veggies. You can see in the photo below how thick and lovely it is. As you can see in the photos on this page, I often use broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, carrots, celery, and large cherry tomatoes. Other veggie options include mini bell peppers, cucumber slices, and sugar snap peas. Sometimes, I halve a bell pepper and stuff the halves with this dip, as shown in this photo:
Almond flour crackers Bacon chips Salami chips Eggplant chips Zucchini chips Pork rinds - as shown in the photo below:
Cream cheese dip also makes a great sandwich spread - I like it with this almond flour bread. Sometimes, I use it to make lazy deviled eggs. I cook hard-boiled eggs, halve them, and top them with the dip, as shown here: This dip is best at room temperature, so remove the portion you will use and let it stand on the counter for 30 minutes before serving. I don’t recommend freezing this dip. Its texture won’t survive freezing and thawing. It becomes watery after being thawed and is not as smooth and creamy as it should be.
