Thanks to my sister for finding and passing on this festive, creamy Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread for bread, crackers, or fruit! It’s a bit different from some of the old standards, which is always a plus in my book, and perfect for the Holiday season.
Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread
The dried fruit, besides being so colorful and festive, has just the right intensity and adds a touch of sweetness that offsets the tangy cream cheese (and there’s a little goat cheese, too), and their flavor just bounces off the savory rosemary and garlic. This dip is going to take your mouth in all kinds of directions! I think you’ll get some “wows” from this one.
About Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread:
The goat cheese/cream cheese combo is marvelous. See, the cream cheese mellows the goat cheese & the goat cheese brings a bit of stand up and notice me flavor to the cream cheese, without being too, too much. The garlic brightens everything up, and that rosemary. It’s def the surprise flavor.
Rosemary can be super assertive. Add it to taste and know your audience on this one. Yes, if you’re serving this to a group who are accustomed to the strong Mediterranean herbs, you can probably let the rosemary shine; for the rest of us, you might want to be a bit cautious with the amounts.
That being said, we loved the spread, which was modified originally from Yellow Bliss Road and featured on 12 Tomatoes. Next time, I was thinking how good this would be with some chopped pecans for a little crunch to contrast with all that creaminess.
Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread
Making Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread:
As long as your cream cheese is soft enough (put it out on your counter a few minutes before or very carefully microwave it on low or defrost), this is like a 10-minute deal to mix together! Bonus, right?! Bring your spread out a bit early before serving so it can soften to a spreadable consistency.
I like to use dried rosemary; it’s winter here, so fresh is pricey, and it’s easier to add dried to taste; fresh rosemary can vary in intensity. I also found that garlic powder works better than fresh garlic, which can get stronger and stronger tasting as it sits.
Anytime you’re chopping dried fruit, try this little trick: spritz your knife with a tiny bit of cooking spray. It helps to keep the dried fruit from gumming up on your knife.
Variations on Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread:
This is the perfect time (I’m posting this in mid-December) to use up any dried fruit languishing in the pantry and take advantage of the holiday sales to stock up for the coming year.
Check your pantry, because this is a very versatile recipe that would be fabulous with other dried fruits. Dried Cherries or dates would be fabulous, for instance.
And of course, as mentioned below in the comments, other herbs would go well in this dip, too.
Sour Cherry Compote on crackers with goat cheese
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.
The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.
I love that I just happened to have everything I needed for this spread in my pantry & fridge, and surprise, I even had goat cheese because I had spread crackers with it and topped them with this fab Sour Cherry Compote.
Goat Cheese:
- Both Aldi and Lidl have a decent price on goat cheese, but check your buyers’ club, especially during the holiday season.
- If neither the discount grocery nor the buyers’ clubs are an option, watch the sales on “near deli” cheese. If your store has hangtags (coupons), pick them up and hang on to them until a great sale happens.
- Once opened, use goat cheese promptly, but know that goat cheese has a long shelf life in the fridge, much longer than dated.
Cream Cheese:
- Will be on sale before almost every holiday, especially the big “baking” holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The discount stores, Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs, have great pricing and Holiday sales, too.
- Check dollar stores around Christmas; in the past few years, I’ve picked up packages for a dollar (2024).
- Know your pricing: the regular price, sale price, and great sale price. Don’t be afraid to stock up at rock bottom. Cream cheese keeps for weeks after the “best by” date. It can be frozen, but once thawed is best used in recipes.
- Neuchâtel is often less expensive than full-fat. Some brands rely on”gums” for thickening, which can affect no-bake items that need to set up w/o heat.
Dried Fruit (and Nuts):
Stock up on dried fruit (nuts, too) for the year from fall through the Winter Holiday sales. Repackage any in flimsy packages and keep nuts in the freezer.
- At the grocery store, check the snack, baking, bulk aisles, and discount aisles.
- Discount groceries and buyers’ clubs have good pricing but limited choices.
- Farm & Tractor Supply Stores are some of the best places to shop for both dried fruits and nuts. Repackage any in flimsy wrappings and keep nuts in the freezer.
- You might be surprised at the low prices and the quality at markets. European for dates, figs, raisins, apricots, and prunes. Asian markets will carry those and have great pricing on dates, as well as more exotic offerings. Middle Eastern markets offer the same, but look especially for the fabulous pricing on figs.
Hello and Welcome; if you’re making this during the Holiday season (I’m posting this recipe in mid-December), know that this is super easy and quick and bound to be a hit at any party or get-together. Happy Holidays!
Mollie
Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread
Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries, roughly chopped
- ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, honey, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt & pepper. Mix on high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Switch to low, or mix in by hand, the dried fruits. Spoon the cheese mixture into a small bowl and chill for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers or on crostini.
I’ll be sharing this at our very own Throwback Thursday Link Partyas well as at Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Sandhya @ Indfused. Come and join us!🙂
29 thoughts on “Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread”