Cranberry Cream Cheese

This easy, festive Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread with a hint of rosemary will be the hit of all of your holiday parties!

If you’re in need of a quick, easy, festive appetizer for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table this Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread is it . Spread on some buttery crackers and you’ll have an addicting little snack perfect for all of your upcoming holiday festivities.

One of my favorite parts of the traditional Thanksgiving festivities is the platter of appetizers that cover the table before dinner.  After all it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if we didn’t spend the entire day eating, right? Our family breaks out the appetizer platters at about 11 am while we’re watching the last hour of the Macy’s Parade.

It really is a smorgasbord of food. We usually have everything from pickles and olives, to salami and cheese to ham pin-wheels and deviled eggs. And while it may not sound like we need anything more, I couldn’t resist making just one more thing. That is where this Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread enters the equation. It’s quick, easy, full of flavor and sure to be a hit.

Ingredients you’ll  need:

• CREAM CHEESE:  It is essential that it is at room temperature. This will help it whip better so that it will be easier to fold in the other ingredients.
• DRIED CRANBERRIES: These are sweet, tart and add just a pop of color without turning the cream cheese pink.
• FRESH ROSEMARY: Fresh rosemary is important in this recipe. Dried Rosemary is too brittle and won’t work as well. Fresh rosemary grows year round in my neck of the woods (PNW) if you can’t find it by itself, you can usually find it in the “Poultry blend” of fresh herbs in the produce section.
• GRANULATED GARLIC: Adds just a hint of garlic flavor. You can also substitute garlic powder.
• SALT AND PEPPER: You don’t need much here, just to taste.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread is ridiculously easy to make! Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions to see just how easy it is.

• STEP #1: When I originally posted this recipe, I simply stirred the ingredients into softened cream cheese. I  have since discovered that it is much better to use a hand mixer to whip the cream cheese first.  It makes it so much easier to fold in the cranberries and rosemary.
• STEP #2: Fold in the cranberries, rosemary and granulated garlic.  Mix well.

Make sure that you mix it very well so that there is cranberries and rosemary throughout the cream cheese.

I love to serve this with buttery crackers like Ritz or Townhouse. Honestly, it’d probably be fab on a bagel too!

Storage and Leftovers:

This spread keeps pretty well in the fridge.  You’ll just want to make sure that you bring it to room temperature before serving. This will help ensure that it spreads well.

When I originally shared this Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread several years back, I knew that this recipe was going to be a hit. I often get friends telling me that this is one of their favorites from the blog and it is one of our favorites too. It has made an appearance at almost every holiday celebration for the last few years. I hope it has a spot at your table too!