Smoked Cranberry Bacon Dip is a delightful appetizer that balances sweet and savory flavors—perfect for holiday gatherings and casual get-togethers.
The highlight is smoked cream cheese, which adds a rich, wood-fired depth that elevates this dip recipe.
You can prepare it on a smoker or a Traeger pellet grill.
How to make Smoked Cranberry Bacon Dip
Gather a few simple ingredients to get started.
Begin by smoking the cream cheese. Place two 8-ounce blocks on a piece of foil and score the tops with diagonal cuts about 1/2 inch deep so the smoke can penetrate.
Set your smoker or pellet grill to 180°F and smoke the cream cheese on the grate for about 2 hours.
You’ll notice a golden, smoky exterior when the cream cheese is done.
While the cream cheese smokes, cook the bacon. Cut one pound of bacon into bite-sized pieces with kitchen scissors directly into a skillet set over medium heat. Cook until it reaches your preferred level of crispness, about 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain on paper towels.
Now assemble the dip.
In a mixing bowl combine the smoked cream cheese and cooked bacon. Add 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise, 2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend works well), one packet dry ranch seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, and a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. Finally, stir in 6 ounces of dried cranberries.
Mix until well combined. If the cream cheese is still slightly warm from the smoker, the ingredients will blend more easily.
Transfer the dip to the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve, though it’s also delicious at room temperature.
Serve Smoked Cranberry Bacon Dip with crackers and enjoy!
I chilled mine before serving, but the dip works well chilled or at room temperature—serve with your favorite crackers (Ritz is a classic choice) or crostini.
If you like Smoked Cranberry Bacon Dip, you might also like these smoker and pellet grill recipes…
Smoked Caramel Apple Dip
Traeger Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizzas
Smoked BBQ Chicken Dip
Traeger Game Day Appetizers
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Smoked Cranberry Bacon Dip
Cheri Renee
Equipment
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Traeger/Pellet Grill
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Smoker
Ingredients
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese
- 1 pound bacon
- 2 cups shredded cheese of choice (I used Mexican blend)
- 1 1/4 cups mayo
- 6 ounces dried cranberries
- 1 packet dry ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
- crackers for serving (I used Ritz)
Instructions
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Set your smoker or pellet grill to 180°F. Place the cream cheese blocks on foil and score diagonally about 1/2 inch deep. Smoke for 2 hours.
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Heat a skillet over medium. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces with kitchen scissors directly into the skillet. Cook 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain on paper towels.
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Combine the smoked cream cheese, cooked bacon, shredded cheese, mayo, dried cranberries, dry ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay, and hot sauce in a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
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Chill the dip until ready to serve. Serve with crackers.
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