Cream Cheese Apple Dip
Orchard? Check. Perfectly crisp, crunchy, and sweet apples? Check. Easy cream cheese apple dip recipe? Check! Crowd favorite? Check! I grew up eating this cream cheese apple dip every Fall, and it’s the perfect pairing to just about any apple. It’s creamy, sweet (but not too sweet), and has delicious and nutritious peanut butter in the mix as well. Made with just a few ingredients you probably already have, it’s so easy to whip up a batch and is a must for apple season.
You can’t go wrong with this delicious dip!
And I’ve been loving it for decades! Yes, since the late 80’s and early 90’s as it was a fall staple at my house. My mom’s version is made with brown sugar, but when my kids were super little, I tried making it with honey instead and never looked back.
I love to turn this dip into a whole apple snack board for fall gatherings or after school snacks. Serve with fresh apple slices and a few other dippers like graham crackers, vanilla wafers, and pretzels for a sweet and savory snack. It’s…
😋 Seriously delicious: This dip is fluffy, creamy, and sweet! Paired with crispy, tart apple slices, it’s the best sweet snack.
⏰ Ready in 10 minutes: Just whip, mix, and serve. It’s perfect for last-minute entertaining or snack plates.
🍎 Kid-approved: Apples are delicious on their own and even better with a dip!
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: Nothing fancy needed here, you might even have everything you need already!
You’ll also want to try sweet and salty chex mix, monster cookie bars, and mini pumpkin muffins.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this fluffy apple dip to the table: cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, peanuts, and dippers (sliced apples, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzels, etc.).
- Peanut butter: I’ve found that a non-natural peanut butter (like Jiffy or Skippy) works best here for both flavor and texture. If you don’t like to use those, it may have a bit of a grainier texture and you may need to add some more honey. I use Natural Skippy (which still has oil blended in to emulsify) and it works well. You can use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter, whatever you prefer.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: For the fluffiest dip, Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before making this dip – room temperature cream cheese whips to perfect fluffiness without lumps. Whip the cream cheese first until light and fluffy, then gradually add other ingredients to maintain that cloud-like consistency.
- Feeding kids without pressure: Set up a “DIY dip station” with apple slices, graham crackers, and pretzels so kids can choose their own dippers.
- Additions: You could also top or mix in other ingredients like mini chocolate chips, a cinnamon sugar, or crushed ginger snaps.
Serving Suggestions
Given that this is a dip for apples, we’re definitely going to serve with apple slices, BUT it’s also delicious with some other dippers as well. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Apples – Use a few varieties of apples, especially if you’re making this into an apple board. If you’re simply serving as a snack for kids, no need, but the variety in flavors and colors of different apple types can be fun and pretty.
- Crunchy sweet – Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or animal crackers for a crunchy, sweet option.
- Crunchy salty – Serve with pretzels for a crunchy, salty option.
Sweet Cream Cheese Apple Dip Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy cream cheese apple dip recipe is fluffy, sweet, and ready in minutes! Perfect for parties, snacks, or dessert and always a hit.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- optional garnish: chopped peanuts
- sliced apples for dipping
- graham crackers for dipping (optional)
- pretzels for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Let cream cheese come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes, until softened.
- In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.
- Add peanut butter, honey, and vanilla to cream cheese and beat another 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and combined.
- Top with chopped peanuts and serve with a variety of apple slices, graham crackers/cookies, and pretzels.
Notes
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dip may firm up when cold – let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to restore creamy texture. Does not freeze well due to cream cheese base.
- Ingredient notes: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture – light versions don’t whip as well. You can swap out the honey for brown sugar if desired; that’s what the original recipe is made with.
- Prep ahead: This dip can be made up to 1 day in advance and actually tastes better as flavors meld. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then let come to room temperature before serving.
- Helpful tools: A hand mixer is especially helpful.
- Serve with: A variety of fresh apple slices, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzel sticks, pear slices, or cinnamon pita chips.
FAQs
I would recommend going with your favorite variety of apples. Honeycrisp, Pazazz, and Pink Lady are staples at our house, but tart Granny Smith apples are also delicious with a sweet dip like this one.
If you want to cut apples ahead of time, you can soak them in a salt water or lemon juice water mixture for a few minutes before rinsing with water, patting dry, and storing in the refrigerator. Use a ratio of 1/2 teaspoon salt per 1 cup of water for up to 10 minutes or 1 tablespoon lemon juice per 1 cup of water for a few minutes.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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i love all those seasonal pics too! this dip sounds great. can’t wait to try it.