Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but I always add it!)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup strawberry preserves
For serving: graham crackers, vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, or cinnamon pita chips (Stacy’s are my favorite!)
Instructions
- First things first, I always make sure my cream cheese is properly softened. I take it out of the fridge about 45 minutes before I start. If I’m in a hurry (which happens more often than I’d like to admit!), I pop it in the microwave for about 15 seconds until it’s nice and soft.
- In my stand mixer bowl, I pour in the cold heavy cream and beat it with the whisk attachment on high speed. It usually takes me about 1-3 minutes to get those beautiful stiff peaks. If you’re using a hand mixer like I sometimes do, any medium bowl will work just fine. Once it’s whipped, I transfer it to another bowl if I’m using my stand mixer.
- Next comes the fun part! I add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract (which makes the Strawberry Cheesecake Dip taste just like the real thing), and kosher salt to my mixing bowl. Then I beat everything with the paddle attachment on medium speed until it gets light and super fluffy. I’ve found that about 3 minutes is perfect, but I always scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets mixed evenly.
- This is where the magic happens! I gently fold in the whipped cream with a flexible spatula until everything is combined. The key word here is “gently” – I want to keep all that air in the mixture for the fluffiest dip ever.
- I spread this creamy goodness into a wide, shallow bowl, making sure it’s in an even layer. Then comes my favorite part – spooning the strawberry preserves over the top! I use the tines of a fork (or sometimes a toothpick if that’s what’s handy) to create those beautiful strawberry swirls throughout the dip. The vibrant red strawberry preserves against the creamy white base always reminds me why I love this Strawberry Cheesecake Dip so much!
Notes
I’ve found this dip can be made up to 24 hours in advance! Just prepare everything except the strawberry swirl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. About 30 minutes before serving, I take it out of the fridge to soften slightly, then add the strawberry preserves and create those beautiful swirls. This has saved me so much time when hosting gatherings!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg