Go Back
Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread served with crackers, perfect for holiday entertaining.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

A quick and addictive holiday appetizer made with cream cheese, dried cranberries, and nuts, perfect for last-minute gatherings.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 200
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 block cream cheese (full-fat) Let it soften before mixing.
  • 1 cup dried cranberries Also known as craisins.
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) Optional, can use leftover mixed nuts or skip.
  • 2 tablespoons honey Adjust sweetness to taste.
  • 1 pinch salt Essential for balancing sweetness.
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest Optional for extra flavor.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Let the cream cheese soften on the counter.
  2. Combine the softened cream cheese, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and honey in a bowl. Optionally add orange zest.
  3. Mash and mix until well combined and rustic in appearance.
  4. Shape the mixture into a log or place it in a bowl.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

This is a highly adaptable recipe; feel free to add herbs for extra flavor or spice it up with jalapeños. Leftovers are great on sandwiches.