This Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip will bring out the child in anyone! Versions of this dip have been circulating for decades, under various names, so you (or maybe your kids) may have tried or even made some before. This is my fave, time-tested apple dip, easy enough for a snack, and fabulous for a get-together.
Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip
This fun, easy dip has all the flavor of a caramel cheesecake, and bonus: It won’t break the bank like a full-blown cheesecake does these days! Read on for more about this dip, AND my hints on buying cream cheese on a budget.
About Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip:
First of all, no apples are harmed in the making of this dip. (Serving is another matter!) This dip is served with apple slices (other selections, below), but there is no actual apple IN the dip.
It’s tangy cream cheese with a touch of sour cream to lighten, beautifully whipped with brown sugar and a spike of vanilla. Talk about creamy, fluffy, highly dippable deliciousness! (By the way, there is no marshmallow fluff in this version of Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip.)
Highly recommended but optional is a drizzle of caramel sauce, along with a sprinkle of toffee bits. That’s gonna take your Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip over the top, but be aware when serving kids, it could be messy!
Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip
Making Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip:
Here are additional hints and options. Check under Saving Money on Groceries for Cream Cheese. It’s not all created equal.
The Dip:
- To make, beat softened cream cheese (best done with a mixer), slowly, scraping down often, beating as little as possible. When all the lumps are out, add the sour cream.
- With the mixer on low, briefly mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, and a touch of salt. Don’t overmix at ANY stage.
- The sour cream offsets the cream cheese taste. Yogurt doesn’t work as well; the dip tends to get too soft.
Variations:
- Vary this dip by changing up part of the brown sugar to white, or using more sugar (up to 3/4 cup).
- Try a different extract or add ground cinnamon. Start with a little and go by taste.
Refrigerate:
- While the dip can be served right away, for best results, place it in a serving bowl, smooth it out, and refrigerate for an hour to firm the dip up and blend the flavors.
- Refrigerate before decoratively swirling and/or adding drizzle or toffee bits.
The Drizzle:
- If you have caramel sauce, it doesn’t take much for this dip. If not, you can buy, but it is so much better (and cheaper) to make this 10-minute Easy Caramel Butterscotch Sauce.
- If making your own, let it cool to room temperature before using.
The Toffee Bits:
- Buy in packages (near the chocolate chips). You may find store brands as well as name brands, plain and chocolate-coated.
- Skor or Heath bars can be chopped; these, as far as I know, only come in chocolate-coated.
- If there’s another type of candy you prefer and it can be chopped in tiny pieces, go for it.
Make Ahead:
- To make ahead, refrigerate in the serving bowl, first smoothing, cover tightly.
- When ready to serve, bring out about 15 minutes ahead, add some swirls if desired, then top with caramel sauce and toffee bits if using.
Serve With:
- Apples and pears are a go-to, but consider other crunchy items. Shortbread cookies elevate things, and graham crackers, maybe Teddy Grahams, are other classics.
- It can be served with cubes of a good, sturdy pound cake. Use some sort of toothpick. Just now I thought of making little poundcake sandwiches with the dip layered in the center.
- Do ya love a salty/sweet vibe? Try pretzels. The skinny sticks will be a lesson in frustration; go for the classic pretzel shape or the larger rods.
Leftover Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip:
- Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Be aware of the two-hour safety window.
- Also, be aware of the risk of possible contamination during serving, depending on the situation; it may not be something you want to keep.
Other Fun Family Apple Recipes You Might Like:
Oven Baked Apple Chips
Luscious Soft Caramel Apples
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just 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. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, 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 when shopping there.
Cream Cheese:
- It 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, not as a spread.
- Some brands rely on”gums” for thickening, which can affect no-bake items that need to set up w/o heat.
- Nuefchatel is often less expensive than full-fat.
Sour Cream:
On sale often at the regular grocery store, especially before holidays. You’ll find great prices at the discount groceries.
- Unopened, it has a long shelf life and keeps for weeks.
- Once opened, store it upside down. If it separates, stir it back together.
- To make sure it lasts as long as possible, keep it clean, use clean utensils, and cover between dips.
Brown Sugar:
- Pick up before the Winter Holidays or Easter, but do watch for sporadic sales. The discount stores are great bets.
- Making your own is a flex and does save money over buying if you use it often and/or have other uses for molasses. See Homemade Light or Dark Brown Sugar.
Hey Frugal Friends,
Hope you all enjoy this dip, whether you’re taking it to a get-together or just enjoying a cozy evening with the family! My only regret was not serving snacks like this more often when the kids were small!
Mollie
Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip
Creamy Apple Cheesecake Dip
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + plus chill
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese, softened
- 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (light brown is preferable)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon salt
- caramel sauce and toffee bits for garnish
- apples, pears, or other items for dippers
Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, preferably with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, stopping to scrape down often. On low, mix in sour cream, then brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Add to serving bowl, smooth top as desired, and if possible, refrigerate for one hour. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toffee bits before serving, if desired.
Nutrition based on 1/4 cup servings:
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 8.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 184 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 11 g | 16 % |
| Saturated Fat 6 g | 31 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 3 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 31 mg | 10 % |
| Sodium 197 mg | 8 % |
| Potassium 56 mg | 2 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 23 g | 8 % |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 0 % |
| Sugars 21 g | |
| Protein 2 g | 4 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 0 % |
| Calcium | 4 % |
| Iron | 1 % |
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