Garlicky Cream Cheese Dip
This garlic-infused cream cheese dip recipe couldn’t be easier, making it a party favorite. Serve with raw vegetables or crackers.
By Yankee Magazine|Mar 28 2022|
With just four ingredients, this easy garlicky cream cheese dip packs in lots of flavor.
Photo Credit: Amy TraversoThis garlicky cream cheese dip has become a reader favorite, and for good reason. It’s the kind of appetizer you can throw together in five minutes using ingredients you’ll likely have on hand (fresh chives may be the exception, but you can substitute any other fresh herb, as well as dried chives or crushed dried thyme). You can tailor the amount of garlic to your taste, and doctor the recipe with other ingredients: minced chipotle chilies, sun-dried tomatoes, or preserved lemon; honey; maple syrup; smoked salmon. You can also lighten its richness by using reduced-fat cream cheese and skim milk in place of the cream cheese and half-and-half, and serve with raw vegetables rather than crackers.
A note on prepping the garlic: While garlic presses can be convenient tools, we’ve always found the cleanup to be more trouble than it’s worth. Our favorite technique is to carefully press the clove under the side of a chef’s knife (keeping the blade angled down against your cutting board for safety). A good whack with the heel of your palm smashes the clove, and then you can use the knife to mince it more finely.
If you like a milder garlic flavor, mix the garlic with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice before you add it to the dip.
Yield:
6 to 8 servings (1 cup)
Ingredients
2–3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
2–3 tablespoons half-and-half or milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
Instructions
In a food processor or by hand with a fork, beat the garlic, cream cheese, and half-and-half until smooth. Fold in 1 tablespoon chives, mixing gently. Spoon into a bowl and garnish with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chives. Serve immediately or chill for up to three days before serving with an assortment of crackers and/or sliced fresh vegetables.
Very easy to prepare and more economical to make then purchasing the small prepared tubs of it at your supermarket, especially since I grow my own chives and always have fresh garlic on hand. It definately is “garlicky”, hopefully you don’t prepare for a first date:) I was out of milk and used evaporated milk instead; works just as well. I think the next time I prepare this, I might only use 2 cloves of garlic and perhaps a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of black pepper in its place.
On way to make this one even better: Add: one bunch green onions (chopped), one jar Dried Beef (chopped). Can’t get any better than this!
Made for a very tasty snack with crackers and carrots. Didn’t have fresh chives but substituted with a healthy sprinkle of onion salt and added a dash of pepper.