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Easy Chili Cheese Dip

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing dip, this chili cheese dip is the perfect game-time snack and a staple for football season and Super Bowl snacking! It’s warm, cheesy, and packed with bold flavors.

Made with simple ingredients and minimal prep, you can have this gooey, delicious dip ready in minutes and can easily keep them coming as one batch is never enough!

Make up the dip on a plate or shallow pie plate with layers of cream cheese, Hormel chili (or your favorite homemade chili or canned chili), and shredded cheese. It may not sound like much, but when this combo is heated together, it’s irresistible and it always goes quickly with some crunchy chips.

Plate of hormel chili cheese dip

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

What You’ll Love About Chili Cheese Dip

  • Made with just 3 simple ingredients
  • Savory and bold flavors
  • Always a crowd favorite
  • Perfect for game day appetizers
  • Quick and easy to prep ahead
  • Naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and high-protein
  • Easy to make vegetarian, just use vegetarian chili

Ingredients

  • Cream cheese – Use your favorite brand of cream cheese. I use full-fat as I prefer full-fat dairy, but you can also use a reduced-fat cream cheese if you prefer.
  • Chili – I’ve always had this with a can of Hormel chili, but you can use your favorite can of chili or even a homemade ground beef chili. You could also opt for a vegetarian chili to make this dip vegetarian-friendly. Our Aunt Debbie always used no-bean chili, so there are so many options!
  • Cheeseโ€”The recipe calls for shredded cheddar cheese, but you could also use sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, Mexican cheese blend, Velveeta cheese, or even pepper jack cheese if you want to add some spice. Take it to the next level by shredding your own, if desired.
  • Optional Garnish and Toppings – These garnishes are totally optional, but can add great flavor. Try scallions (sliced green onions), finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapenos, diced avocados, or fresh cilantro.
  • Hot sauce – Another optional ingredient, but a nice way to add heat to your homemade chili cheese dip.
Ingredients to make Hormel chili cream cheese dip

Emily’s Tip

There are two easy ways to elevate this dip – if desired! Use leftover homemade chili and shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded will absolutely work, but shredding your own will melt better and I think has a slightly better flavor.

How to Make Chili Cheese Dip

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

  1. Soften cream cheese. Place the block of cream cheese on a microwave-safe plate, platter, or glass pie dish you will use to make the dip. Let it warm up for 5-10 minutes to soften.
Cream cheese on plate for chili dip
Hormel chili over cream cheese on a plate
  1. Layer dip. Smooth softened cream cheese out on the plate with a spatula in an even layer. Stir canned chili and spread a layer of chili over the top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  2. Heat dip. Cook dip in the microwave until cheese is melty.
Cream cheese topped with chili and cheese for dip
Chili cheese dip with chips

Storage

Store leftover cheesy dip in the refrigerator for 1 day.

To prep the chili cream cheese dip ahead of time (another tip from our Aunt Debbie!), assemble the dip on a platter or microwavable plate and cover it with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days.

How long does chili cheese dip last?

If you’ve already cooked the chili and cheese dip, it should be eaten within a day.

How to reheat

Reheat the dip in the microwave until heated through.

Can chili cheese dip be frozen?

Cream cheese doesn’t freeze and thaw well due to the water content, so freezing the dip is not recommended. And since you can assemble and cook it in 5 minutes, you can make it fresh any time.

Platter of layered chili cream cheese dip with chips

What to Serve with Chili and Cheese Dip

This hormel chili cheese dip is best with chips. Tortilla chips or potato chips are my favorites. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Tortilla chips
  • Potato chips
  • Corn chips
  • Air fryer pita chips
  • Fritos scoops
  • Crackers
  • Mini peppers
  • Cucumber slices
Platter of layered chili cream cheese dip with chips

More Recipes

If you like this dip, you might also like some of these other easy appetizer recipes:

Want More?

Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.

Plate of chili cream cheese dip
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Plate of hormel chili cheese dip

Easy Chili Cheese Dip

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

Description

This Hormel chili cheese dip recipe is always a HUGE hit at game day parties! It takes just 5 minutes and is made with just 3 ingredients.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 15 oz. can of chili
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • tortilla chips or potato chips for serving


Instructions

  1. Spread cream cheese onto a plate or glass (microwave-safe) pie dish.
    Cream cheese on plate for chili dip
  2. Top with chili and shredded cheese.
    Cream cheese topped with chili and cheese for dip
  3. Microwave for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is melted. (My microwave was 3 minutes)
    Chili cheese dip with chips
  4. Serve with chips.
    Plate of hormel chili cheese dipย 

Notes

  • You can use any chili variety (vegetarian, bean-free, homemade chili, etc.) – you’ll want about 2 cups worth of chili.ย 

Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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19 Comments

  1. This is one of the dips I’m making for Super Bowl Sunday!
    GO Bengals. ๐Ÿงก๐Ÿ–ค๐ŸงกMy family loves it, I double & sometimes triple the Super Easy Recipe!

      1. Great question, Sue! I haven’t tried it, but I will add it to my testing list to try it out. I would imagine you could, on low for 1-2 hours? And then instead of serving it as separate layers, I would probably mix everything together. I think it would work better in a mini crockpot, unless you double or triple the batch. (Which is usually fine anyway!)

  2. Iโ€™ve made this dip dozens of times and always have positive comments about it.
    Whenever Iโ€™ve taken it to a party or get-together, someone asks me for the recipe.
    Super simple to make!!

  3. This is a good recipe but for years I have added mild chilis over the beans then the shredded cheese. If you want it hotter add a small can of hotter cold

  4. I’ve had this recipe for probably a million years, can’t even remember where I got it. I have always made the no beans variety. To the question, how long does chili cheese dip last? I would answer, about an hour or less, because it will all have been eaten by then. ๐Ÿ˜ It’s terrific.

    1. It’s 2-4 minutes, but will vary a bit based on your microwave. Mine is 3!

      Oh, but maybe you are talking about softening the cream cheese. This is just letting it sit out at room temperature to soften so it’s easier to spread.

  5. Hi my name is Adam.
    I made this with a
    girl friend, Judy thinking of
    serving it for a small
    weekend party coming up.
    It was as quick and easy as stated.
    Tasted great by both.
    What a great combination.
    We put fresh diced tomato,
    fresh chopped scallion and
    scoops tortilla and frito
    chips on the side.
    ps.. No beans.
    Easy clean up.
    Definately my choice
    for our get together
    Thank you.

  6. Super easy and quick. Everyone loved it, doubled recipe and it went guickly. Will definitely serve it again.

    1. So glad you enjoyed it Helen! Thanks for the comment. ๐Ÿ™‚ I should add this in the post if it’s not already there, but our aunt Debbie who makes this dip will make multiple plates at a time and then cover and keep in the fridge so they are ready to heat as it always goes quick!

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