Easy Apple Dip (cream cheese & peanut butter)

Hide your spoons because you’ll want to use them to eat this apple dip instead of dipping it up with sliced apples. (Apples will at least make you think that you’re being somewhat healthy.)

Irresistible Apple Dip

Tastes like caramel apples! This dip tastes like a deconstructed caramel apple: crisp fresh apple slices, sticky sweet caramel yumminess, and peanuts, too. If you’re a fan of caramel apples, this dip is definitely for you!

So easy to make. You’ll need just a handful of ingredients to make apple dip. The hardest part is remembering to take the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour or so ahead of time to soften. But don’t worry, there’s a fast and easy way to soften cream cheese, too (keep reading).

Goes well with other dippers. I guess I should also mention that while apple dip is perfect for apple slices, it’s also great with graham crackers or animal crackers. Or a spoon. Did I mention that?

Kid-friendly (and adult-friendly, too!). Kids love dips and this one is no exception. Set out a big platter of sliced apples and just watch those apples disappear when caramel apple dip is on hand. It makes a pretty special lunchbox treat, too. Grown-ups love this apple dip, too, as they sip an apple cider mule ( the fall version of a Moscow mule) or an apple cider mocktail (or cocktail, if you prefer).

Ingredient Notes

• Cream Cheese: The recipe card says reduced fat cream cheese and that’s to help you feel better about eating this dip. Full fat regular cream cheese is just fine, too, if you prefer that. Make sure you buy the cream cheese that comes in a block, not the whipped kind in a tub.
• White Granulated Sugar: This is regular sugar that you would use for baking.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar gives this dip the caramel flavor. Light or dark, it doesn’t really matter. Dark brown sugar will make the dip look a little darker in color but it will add more of a molasses/maple flavor. It’s up to you. Make sure you firmly pack it into the measuring cup.
• Peanut Butter: Creamy or crunchy, it’s your choice. Use what you happen to have in the house. Since my household has peanut allergies, I use SunButter, a sunflower butter, and that works fine, too. If you use a natural peanut butter, make sure it is well stirred before adding it to the apple dip.
• Chopped Peanuts: More nuts to increase the peanut power! It’s a caramel apple dipped in peanuts. Keep reading for more add-in ideas.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: Vanilla provides an undertone of sweet flavor.
• Sliced Apples: Look for an apple that is crisp and has a sweet/tart flavor such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji. A variety of apples, both green and red, makes a nice presentation. Make sure the slices are thick/sturdy enough so they can hold lots of dip.

How To Make Apple Dip

Mix ingredients. Once your cream cheese has softened, place it in a medium-sized bowl. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is well-combined and smooth. I like to use my electric mixer. Mix the dip on medium speed, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Add nuts. Fold in the chopped nuts until they are distributed throughout the dip. You may want to set a couple tablespoons of nuts aside to use as a garnish.

Put the dip into a serving bowl or covered container if you’re not using it right away.

Serve. Arrange sliced apples around a bowl of apple dip, and dive in!

Recipe Variations

• Try a flavor variation. A sprinkle of cinnamon on top (or mixed in) is really good. Chocolate lovers can stir in mini chocolate chips. Make the dip with toffee bits instead of chopped peanuts. Try substituting maple extract for the vanilla.
• Substitute yogurt. If you’re not a fan of cream cheese, make this dip with yogurt instead. Substitute 1 cup plain Greek yogurt for the cream cheese. The texture of the dip will be slightly different and the dip will be more tangy.
• Make it peanut-free. Simply omit the peanut butter and chopped peanuts. The dip will be creamy and delicious. Another option is to substitute sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter (SunButter). Stir in roasted sunflower seeds instead of chopped nuts.

Serving Suggestions

For adults, you’ll find that the apples and sweet dip are a perfect balance with more savory offerings like bacon wrapped water chestnuts or wild mushroom crostini with goat cheese. Try candied bacon and sweet and spicy candied bourbon pecans, too. Take a look at all my appetizer recipes.

For kids, I like to make apple dip as part of this fun snack board. It goes well with cinnamon sugar pretzel bites or snickerdoodle cookies, too.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Apple dip can be made at least a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Apples can be sliced a day ahead, too. Store them in a resealable bag or airtight container.

How To Keep Apples From Browning

You may notice that the cut sides of apples tend to turn brown after a short time. This process is called oxidization and doesn’t affect the taste or the quality of the apples, but it can be unappetizing.
To prevent oxidization, one of the easiest tricks is to spritz the slices with lemon juice, making sure it coats all sides. Let the lemon juice sit on the apples for five minutes and then rinse it off with cool water.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Keep the apple dip in a tightly covered container. It can be refrigerated at least five days assuming it hasn’t sat out on the counter for hours.

To serve: Remove the apple dip from the refrigerator one hour ahead of time to allow it to soften a bit, and give it a good stir.