One thing about me is I will turn any get-together into an excuse to make a dip. Super Bowl, a summer potluck, Friendsgiving, a holiday party (or as my friends deemed it this year, Dipmas), or even just a night watching Dancing with the Stars on the couch, I’m making some kind of dip.
To me, the sign of a good dip is usually a recipe that starts with cream cheese, sour cream, or cheese—and it’s a bonus if it has all three. Think Buffalo chicken dip, taco dip, pizza dip, French onion dip, and so on.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a dip that I didn’t like, especially when it combines the trifecta of creamy, cheesy ingredients. However, I’ll be honest, when I found a recipe for Cheddar Apple Pie Dip in a community cookbook from Dublin, Ohio, I thought for sure my winning streak with dips would be coming to an end because the dip mixed cinnamon brown sugar-coated apples with Cheddar cheese.
But, knowing that Midwesterners have never steered me wrong when it comes to tasty recipes, I gave it a go—and I was gobsmacked by the result.
How To Make Cheddar Apple Pie Dip
Bailey Fink
I’ve always known that a subset of people add Cheddar cheese to their apple pie. However, I never thought I’d be one of them—and I certainly had no plans to try Kraft’s new Apple Pie-flavored Mac & Cheese. But, after trying this dip, I might have to reconsider.
The Cheddar Apple Pie Dip recipe was submitted by a person named Alison and only requires six very simple ingredients. You’ll need brown sugar, cinnamon, one red and one green apple, cream cheese, shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
Bear with me on this one—I’m serious.
You’ll peel and chop the apples, then coat them in 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Then, in a separate bowl, combine a block of softened cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar and 1/2 cup sour cream. Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie or other baking dish, then top with the cinnamon-sugar-coated apple pieces.
You’ll bake the dip for 30 minutes in a 375-degree F (190-degree C) oven and, in the words of Emeril Lagasse, Bam, that’s it. It couldn’t be easier to throw together.
Recipe creator Alison recommends serving the dip with Wheat Thins, but any other cracker (like multigrain, Ritz, or even graham crackers) would work too.
Bailey Fink
For those as skeptical as I was, I assure you that the cheese flavor is not as overpowering as you think. The apples are extra-sweet thanks to the brown sugar, so each bite is the perfect balance of cheesy, savory, sweet, and slightly spicy from the cinnamon.
Once the dip starts to dwindle and the mound of apples is disappearing, the ratio might not be perfect, but it still works. If you’ve ever eaten a charcuterie board with cheese and apples together, you’ll understand the complex flavor of salty to sweet.
I seriously couldn’t stop eating this dip. After I pulled it from the oven, I ate some. Then I left it to cool, came back later, and ate more. I began packing it into a Tupperware to store, and ate even more.
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the Cheddar Apple Pie Dip, and I’m already planning on making it again—it’ll be the perfect appetizer for a Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving table. And it’s definitely an interesting conversation starter!
Dining and Cooking