This delicious cream cheese apple dip is quick and easy to make with only 3 ingredients required. Perfect for parties, potlucks, or a tasty fall snack!
Cream Cheese Apple Dip
We always go apple picking a few times each fall and I love tasting all of the different varieties of apples. While the apples do taste delicious on their own, this cream cheese apple dip definitely takes them up a notch! This dip is rich, smooth, and creamy with a yummy caramel flavor.
This would be perfect for a potluck or an afternoon snack and can be enjoyed all year long. Use it for apples or a variety of other dippers – I’m sure you’ll be hooked. You really won’t find anything easier, quicker or tastier to make!
Cream Cheese Apple Dip Recipe
Cream Cheese Apple Dip
This easy cream cheese apple dip is a tasty treat to add to fresh apple slices. It just takes a few minutes to prepare and you only need three ingredients. It doesn't get much simpler than that!
Ingredients
- 1 (8oz) package cream cheese I've used both regular and low fat versions.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp toffee or Skor bits (optional) See other ideas for add-ins in the notes below
Instructions
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Mix together cream cheese {at room temperature} and vanilla until combined. Add in sugar until it has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
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Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days in an air-tight container.
Recipe Notes
Be sure that the cream cheese is softened before mixing so the sugar can dissolve into it.
If you want the dip a little less sweet, cut down the sugar to 1/3 cup.
What are the best apples for dipping?
Really any kind of apple will go well with this dip, but my personal favorites are Jonagold or Honeycrisp. It’s always fun to play around with different varieties so try out a mix of sweet and tart varieties to see what you prefer. Here are some of the more popular apple varieties and their characteristics…
- Braeburn – tart, sweet, and aromatic
- Cortland – tart and crisp
- McIntosh – juicy and sweet
- Fuji – sweet and juicy
- Granny Smith – moderately sweet and crisp
- Jonagold – tangy and sweet
- Jonathan – tart flesh, crisp and juicy
- Winesap – very juicy, sweet-sour flavor
What else can I serve with this dip?
Aside from the obvious apple slices, there are a variety of other items that pair nicely with this dip. You can have fun experimenting, but here are some ideas to help get you started…
- other fresh fruit (bananas, sliced pears, grapes, etc.)
- graham crackers
- cinnamon tortilla chips
- pretzels
- animal crackers
- gingersnap cookies
- spread on a bagel
What else can I add to the dip?
It’s always fun playing around with this basic cream cheese dip. My favorite thing to add is toffee or Skor bits {you can find these in the baking section of most grocery stores}, but here are some other variations I’ve tried…
- cinnamon or nutmeg
- nuts
- mini caramel chips
Tips for the best dip
I’ve made this dip many times, and it’s pretty much impossible to mess up. Here are a few tips though, to get the best cream cheese dip…
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. This will allow the sugar to dissolve into it. You can always soften it for a 10 seconds in the microwave if you don’t want to wait for it to soften.
- If you want to cut down on the sweetness, you can reduce the sugar to 1/3rd cup.
- For a more whipped consistency, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high for about 4-5 minutes and then add the vanilla. If you don’t want to bother with washing beaters, a fork and a little extra arm power will mix it up fine.
- For an extra cute presentation, scoop out a large apple and fill it with the dip.
How do I keep the apples from going brown?
If you’re not going to be serving your dip and apples right away or want your apples to last throughout the party without going brown, here’s the best way I’ve found to keep apples fresh. It might sound a little weird, but a good ol’ saltwater bath totally does the trick. Just fill a bowl with cold water, add salt {approximately 1/2 tsp to 1 litre of water}, and let it soak for about 5-10 minutes. Place a clean paper towel over the top of the bowl to help keep the apples submerged. You can give the apples a quick rinse with cold water afterwards if you’re concerned about a salty flavor, but I find that it’s not really needed if you’re careful not to use so much salt.
You can also use a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice {or another acidic juice} in the bowl of water instead of salt, but it doesn’t seem to work quite as well and can leave a slightly tart taste to the apples. It’s not necessarily a bad thing – especially since the dip adds sweetness – but just something to be aware of.
Let me know if you try it and what your favorite variations are. Happy apple season!
More Delicious Apple Recipes
For more delicious apple recipes, check out these posts…
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