Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip

Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip

The Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip is perfect for snacking. Made with shredded pepper jack cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, and a blend of spices and herbs, refrigerated and then topped with Pepper Jelly. It is the perfect blend of creamy, cool and spicy and sweet. Serve these with buttery round crackers for the perfect scoop of deliciousness.

Make Ahead

One of the things I love most about this dip is that you can make it a day or even two days ahead of time. You add the pepper jelly and the chives right before serving. This dip is addictive. The combination of the spicy sweet and savory creamy cream cheese is wonderful.

Splurge On The Jelly

I like to splurge on the pepper jelly for this dip since it is such a huge component of flavor. I got this one from a local grocery store in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan where we live part time. But there are many brands in most grocery stores that are also wonderful. Try some and see which one you like best! Here is one from Stonewall Kitchen that I have also had and love. I also see that Walmart sells some.

Shred Your Own Cheese

If you need to save time you can certainly use the already shredded cheese. I like to shred my own because I like a thicker shred for this dip. I think that this makes the dip taste so much better with the nice texture of the thicker shreds of cheese. I also think the larger shreds have more flavor per bite.

Yield: 12 to 14 Servings

Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip

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The Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip is perfect for snacking. Made with shredded pepper jack cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, and a blend of spices and herbs, refrigerated and then topped with Pepper Jelly. It is the perfect blend of creamy, cool and spicy and sweet. Serve these with buttery round crackers for the perfect scoop of deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounce piece of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 4 ounce piece of Pepper Jack Cheese
• 3/4 cup of Pepper Jelly (adjust to your preferences)
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to your preferences)
• 1/4 teaspoon of celery salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced fresh chives

Instructions

1. For this recipe I recommend using freshly shredded cheese. I use a brick of the cheese and grate it on the thicker side. The thicker shreds are best for this dip.
2. Soften the cream cheese and whip on high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
3. Add all the seasonings and herbs except the chives.
4. Add the shredded cheese a little at a time until this is all well blended.
5. Whip for 1 minutes on high.
6. Spread the mixture on a dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. I used about a 6 inch plate with little bit higher sides. When ready to serve, take from the fridge and let it sit out for about an hour before serving so its easier to spread on crackers.
7. When ready to serve, spread the pepper jelly all over the top. Then sprinkle the chives. Server with butter round crackers. *You can use more or less pepper jelly.

More Spice

If you like a little spice and want another easy recipe, check out this recipe for this Easy Tamale Skillet.