Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Dip
Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Dip is a mouthful every way!
Don’t know what to bring to holiday dinner? Impress your friends and family with this ridiculously simple Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Dip. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas – no need to vie for space in the oven. It’s a little surprising too – normally, appetizers are savory. Add it to your football spread for a sweet change.
How do you make this indulgent spread pretty?
Form it into SOMETHING. Anything, really, as long as it’s not sitting on the plate in it’s original, block form. Of course you can serve it like that. And everyone will love it. But watch a little extra effort pay off – big.
I popped the block into the microwave for 30 seconds to mellow it out a bit, then I smoothed it into a small mixing bowl (affiliate links follow – see disclaimer for details) that I had sprayed with cooking spray. I left it in the fridge for about half an hour then I used a rubber spatula to pop it out of the “mold” into the serving bowl. I’d have used plastic wrap if I had any.
Are you good at making meatballs? Do the same thing with the cream cheese here – just know you’re going to need a scrub down when you’re finished.
Add on the sliced apples (leave the peel on for color and texture).
Then pour over the Salted Caramel Sauce. We used the recipe below, but any decent caramel sauce would work. I’ve never tasted one that wasn’t yummy. Sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt or kosher salt to make it pop.
You can serve everything cold, at room temp, or warm – just pop the sauce into the microwave for a minute or so to warm it up.
Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 block Cream Cheese (8 ounces)
- 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup Coarsely Chopped Walnuts (optional)
- 3 Apples, cored and sliced into eighths
- Crackers for serving
- Kosher Salt
Instructions
- If desired, mold softened cream cheese into a ball or form it using a shallow bowl. Allow to cool slightly before removing from mold and plating. Or use block of cream cheese as purchased.
- Arrange apple slices around cream cheese.
- Warm caramel sauce (if desired) and pour over cream cheese. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- If using, sprinkle on walnuts.
- Serve immediately with crackers for additional dipping.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Dark Rum, or vanilla (in a pinch)
- 1/4 tsp Flaky salt (I used Himalyan)
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine butter, brown sugar and cream in a heavy pot on the stove top, heating on medium to medium high heat. Stir mixture until melted and smooth.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in rum, salt and pinch of cinnamon. Can be held at room temperature for several hours, or refrigerate in a covered container if keeping longer.
- Reheat in container in saucepan with water simmering over low heat, or in a microwave in 30 minute increments, stirring after each. Serve with an additional sprinkle of salt.
You should probably test it out before it’s party time…
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