Description
This Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread is a delightful and tangy treat combining creamy cheese with the sweetness of dried cranberries and apricots, enhanced by fresh orange juice and zest. Perfect for serving with crackers, fruit, or sliced baguettes, it makes an easy and elegant appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Spread Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, chopped cranberries, chopped apricots, orange juice, orange zest, and ground ginger until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Refrigerate: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the spread for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the spread to firm up.
- Serve: Serve the cranberry cream cheese spread chilled alongside crackers, fresh fruit, or sliced baguettes for a delicious appetizer or snack.
Notes
- You can substitute dried cherries or raisins for the cranberries if desired.
- For a smoother texture, finely chop the dried fruits or pulse briefly in a food processor before mixing.
- Adjust the amount of orange juice to reach your preferred spread consistency.
- Ground ginger adds a nice subtle spice but can be omitted if preferred.
- Refrigerating the spread for longer than 30 minutes enhances the flavor blend even more.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 80 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
