Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip: A 5-Minute Appetizer

A jar of good-quality pepper jelly can be used to make a five-minute cream cheese appetizer. Serve the cream cheese, made with full-fat cream cheese, topped with the jelly and crackers, which I like to serve with this appetizer for dipping. Ingredients are layered when served but do not combine on the serving platter.

Use a platter or other flat dish. Allow cream cheese to sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This allows easy serving of cream cheese without smushing crackers and prevents cream cheese from sliding off the platter. I use a spoon to spread jelly over all the cream cheese on the platter so crackers will get cream cheese and jelly.

I arrange dippers in a horseshoe around the food station for easy access. Jelly and cheese should be offered together on one cracker. Other options to serve with crackers at the outer perimeter of the display include celery and cucumber slices. Other options for a bigger tray that could be served with crackers include apple and pear slices to pair with the sweet jelly.

For the baked appetizer, put softened cream cheese in an oven-safe dish. Layer jelly on top and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes or until the edges of the cream cheese are bubbly. Serve with toasted baguette slices on the side of the baked appetizer. I take the dish out of the oven when the edges are bubbly but the center remains firm.