Thanksgiving dips solve a very specific holiday problem.
People are hungry.
Dinner is not ready.
And you need something they can snack on without turning the appetizer table into a second full meal.
A good Thanksgiving dip should be easy to share, simple to prepare ahead, and flavorful enough that you don’t need twelve other appetizers beside it.
For these Thanksgiving dip recipes, we’re making cranberry pecan whipped feta dip, baked Brie cranberry dip, hot spinach Parmesan dip, caramelized onion bacon dip, and warm pumpkin sage cheese dip.
Some are hot. Some can be served cool. All five fit comfortably into the flavors already happening around the Thanksgiving table.
What You’ll Need
Cranberry Pecan Whipped Feta Dip
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Black pepper to taste
Baked Brie Cranberry Dip
- 8 ounces Brie cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Warm Pumpkin Sage Cheese Dip
- 1 cup plain pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Tools You’ll Need
- Food processor
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
- Small baking dishes
- Rubber spatula
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus zester
- Serving bowls
- Baking sheet
1. Cranberry Pecan Whipped Feta Dip
This is the dip to make when the rest of your Thanksgiving appetizers are already warm and rich.
The feta is salty.
The cranberry sauce is sweet and tart.
The pecans add crunch.
And because the base can be made ahead, it asks very little from you once guests arrive.
Add feta, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and a little black pepper to a food processor.
Blend until creamy.
Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
Depending on the feta, this can take a couple of minutes.
Spread the whipped feta over a shallow serving dish.
Spoon the cranberry sauce across the top.
Add toasted pecans.
Finish with orange zest and parsley.
Refrigerate until needed.
Take it out about 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the cheese isn’t extremely firm.
Serve with:
- Crackers
- Crostini
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
- Pita chips
You can swirl some cranberry sauce into the feta rather than leaving all of it on top.
Just don’t blend everything completely.
The red cranberry against the white feta is doing quite a lot of the visual work here. Let it.
2. Baked Brie Cranberry Dip
Brie already disappears quickly at holiday parties.
Turning it into a warm dip does nothing to slow that process.
This one has cranberry sauce, maple, rosemary, and pecans, so it tastes unmistakably like Thanksgiving without requiring much preparation.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove the rind from the Brie if you prefer a completely smooth dip. Leaving some rind is fine too.
Cut the cheese into small pieces.
Combine Brie and softened cream cheese in a small baking dish.
Spoon cranberry sauce over the cheese.
Drizzle with maple syrup.
Add pecans, rosemary, and orange zest.
Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is hot and soft.
Gently stir the center if you’d like the Brie and cream cheese more thoroughly combined.
Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices or sturdy crackers.
This dip thickens as it cools.
That isn’t a flaw.
It is Brie remembering that it is cheese.
Pro Tips for Better Thanksgiving Dips
Choose different textures. If you’re making several dips, don’t make every one cream cheese-based and completely smooth.
Use shallow serving dishes. They’re easier for guests to reach and give baked dips more golden surface area.
Keep garnishes until the end. Nuts, herbs, bacon, and crunchy toppings are better when added close to serving.
Include sturdy dippers. A fragile cracker meeting a thick cold dip rarely ends well.
Don’t put everything out at once. Smaller bowls can be replenished, which helps with both freshness and food safety.
3. Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip
Spinach dip isn’t exclusively a Thanksgiving recipe.
That’s part of why it works.
When cranberry, pumpkin, maple, and sage are already everywhere else, a familiar cheesy dip can be a welcome break.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the thawed spinach inside a clean kitchen towel.
Squeeze firmly to remove as much water as possible.
Do not skip this.
Wet spinach gives you watery dip.
Place the spinach in a mixing bowl.
Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, Dijon, thyme, black pepper, and lemon juice.
Stir until thoroughly combined.
Transfer to a small baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges.
For more browning, broil briefly at the end.
Serve with:
- Crostini
- Crackers
- Pita chips
- Bell pepper strips
- Celery
- Carrots
The vegetables are particularly useful if your appetizer table already contains plenty of bread and pastry.
There will be rolls later.
Thanksgiving has bread covered.
4. Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip
This dip requires more time than effort.
The onions need to cook slowly until deeply golden.
Trying to rush them with high heat gives you burnt edges and raw centers, which is a fairly disappointing shortcut.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp.
Transfer to paper towels.
Once cool, crumble it.
Reserve about 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the butter.
Add the sliced onions.
Cook over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The onions should become very soft and deep golden brown.
If the pan starts getting too dry, reduce the heat and add a small splash of water.
Let the onions cool.
Chop them roughly.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, thyme, and black pepper.
Fold in the caramelized onions.
Reserve a little bacon for garnish.
Stir the remaining bacon into the dip.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
The flavor gets even better after several hours.
Before serving, top with the reserved bacon and chives.
Serve with sturdy potato chips, crackers, crostini, or vegetables.
This is one recipe where making the dip the day before is not merely acceptable.
It may actually improve it.
Thanksgiving appreciates appetizers capable of handling themselves.
5. Warm Pumpkin Sage Cheese Dip
Pumpkin usually gets assigned dessert duty at Thanksgiving.
We’re giving it a savory shift.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices that have no useful business meeting cheddar and Parmesan.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Add pumpkin puree, cream cheese, cheddar, Parmesan, sour cream, garlic, Dijon, sage, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper to a mixing bowl.
Stir thoroughly.
Transfer to a small baking dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges.
Stir gently.
Top with toasted walnuts and parsley.
Serve warm with crostini, crackers, pretzel crisps, or apple slices.
If the dip seems too thick before baking, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.
Keep the nutmeg subtle.
This is a savory pumpkin dip.
We are not trying to sneak pumpkin pie onto a cracker.
Which Thanksgiving Dip Should You Make?
If you’re serving only one dip, look at what else is on the appetizer table.
| Dip | Flavor | Serve | Make-Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry whipped feta | Tangy, sweet-savory | Cool | Excellent |
| Baked Brie cranberry | Creamy, sweet-tart | Hot | Good |
| Spinach Parmesan | Cheesy, savory | Hot | Excellent |
| Onion bacon | Deep, savory | Cool | Excellent |
| Pumpkin sage | Savory, earthy | Warm | Excellent |
For a traditional holiday flavor, choose cranberry Brie or pumpkin sage.
For something fresher, use cranberry whipped feta.
For a familiar crowd favorite, spinach Parmesan is difficult to argue with.
Caramelized onion bacon dip is particularly useful because you can make the whole thing ahead.
For a larger party, choose one cool dip and one hot dip.
That gives guests variety without making your oven responsible for an appetizer buffet.
How Much Dip Do You Need Per Person?
If you’re serving dip before a large Thanksgiving dinner, plan around 2 to 4 tablespoons of dip per person when other appetizers are available.
For 10 guests, roughly 2 to 2 1/2 cups total dip can be enough alongside other snacks.
For 20 guests, plan around 4 to 5 cups.
If dip is your primary appetizer, increase the amount.
The number of dippers matters too.
For each cup of dip, plan a generous supply of crackers, crostini, vegetables, or fruit.
Running out of dip is manageable.
Running out of things to dip and watching people consider using dinner rolls 45 minutes before dinner is less ideal.
What Should You Serve With Thanksgiving Dips?
The best dipper depends on the dip.
Crackers
Choose sturdy crackers for thick cheese dips.
Use plain or lightly seasoned varieties when the dip itself has strong flavors.
Crostini
Slice a baguette.
Brush lightly with olive oil.
Bake at 375°F for about 8 to 12 minutes, turning once, until crisp.
Apple and Pear Slices
These work especially well with:
- Cranberry feta
- Brie
- Pumpkin cheese dip
Toss apple or pear slices with a little lemon juice to slow browning.
Vegetables
Try:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Broccoli florets
Pretzel Crisps
Good with savory cheese, onion, and pumpkin dips.
Try to offer at least two kinds of dippers.
One bread or cracker option plus something fresh is an easy combination.
How to Build a Thanksgiving Dip Board
You do not need an enormous grazing board.
A couple of dips surrounded by simple foods can look generous without producing a mountain of leftovers.
Start with two dips.
Place them apart on a large platter or board.
Add groups of:
- Crackers
- Crostini
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
- Carrots
- Celery
- Grapes
- Pecans
- Walnuts
Keep wet ingredients away from crackers.
Nobody came to Thanksgiving hoping for pre-sogged crostini.
Refill the board as needed rather than putting every perishable ingredient out immediately.
It looks fresher and makes safe holding easier.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dips
Dips are some of the easiest appetizers to prepare before Thanksgiving Day.
Two Days Before
You can:
- Toast nuts
- Make cranberry sauce
- Grate cheese
- Chop herbs
- Caramelize onions
- Cook bacon
Refrigerate perishable ingredients promptly.
One Day Before
Make the cranberry whipped feta base.
Prepare the caramelized onion bacon dip completely.
Assemble the spinach Parmesan dip.
Assemble the pumpkin sage dip.
Prepare the Brie ingredients.
Cover everything tightly and refrigerate.
Keep crunchy garnishes separate.
Thanksgiving Day
Add cranberry sauce and pecans to the whipped feta.
Bake the hot dips.
Add fresh herbs and crunchy toppings.
Prepare fresh fruit and vegetables.
Toast crostini.
Then get the dips out of the kitchen.
The turkey would like its workspace back.
How to Reheat Hot Thanksgiving Dips
Most baked cheese dips reheat well.
Place the dip in an oven-safe baking dish.
Cover loosely with foil.
Reheat at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F.
Remove the foil near the end if the top needs freshening.
For smaller portions, the microwave works too.
Heat in short intervals.
Stir between intervals when appropriate.
Do not repeatedly heat and cool the entire batch throughout the party.
Put out smaller amounts and replenish them.
Can You Keep Dip Warm in a Slow Cooker?
Some dips can be held warm in a small slow cooker after they have been fully cooked.
Cheese dips and spinach dips are usually good candidates.
Use the WARM setting for holding.
Do not use WARM to cook raw ingredients.
Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming around the edges.
If the dip becomes too thick, a small splash of milk may help.
For extended hot holding, keep the food at 140°F or above.
A slow cooker isn’t useful for every dip.
Cranberry feta and onion bacon dip are better kept cold until serving.
Brie is usually nicer baked and served fairly soon afterward.
Substitutions and Variations
Feta: Goat cheese can create a softer, tangier dip.
Greek yogurt: Sour cream works.
Pecans: Use walnuts or pumpkin seeds.
Cranberry sauce: Cranberry-orange sauce is excellent.
Brie: Camembert can work.
Mozzarella: Monterey Jack is a good melting substitute.
Gruyère: Add it to spinach dip for a nuttier flavor.
Bacon: Leave it out for a vegetarian caramelized onion dip.
Pumpkin: Cooked mashed butternut squash can work in the savory pumpkin dip.
Walnuts: Pecans work equally well.
For nut-free dips, simply leave out nuts and use seeds if appropriate.
For gluten-free serving, choose gluten-free crackers and naturally gluten-free vegetable or fruit dippers.
Other Easy Thanksgiving Dip Ideas
Once you’ve covered the main five, there are plenty of directions you can take a Thanksgiving dip table.
Try:
- Roasted garlic white bean dip
- Warm goat cheese dip
- Cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip
- Baked artichoke dip
- Butternut squash hummus
- White cheddar beer-free cheese dip
- Roasted red pepper feta dip
- Sweet potato hummus
- Caramelized onion Gruyère dip
- Herbed ricotta dip
You don’t need to serve all of them.
One or two dips are plenty when Thanksgiving dinner follows.
More dip is not automatically more hospitality.
Sometimes it is simply more bowls to wash.
Keeping Cold Dips Safe
Cold dips containing cheese, yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise should be kept at 40°F or below until serving.
Do not leave perishable dips at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If the temperature is above 90°F, the limit is 1 hour.
For a long gathering, divide a large batch into two containers.
Put one out.
Keep the second refrigerated.
Swap in a fresh bowl later.
You can also place a serving bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice.
Just make sure melting ice cannot splash into the dip.
What to Serve With Thanksgiving Dips
If dips are part of a larger appetizer spread, keep the surrounding foods fairly simple.
Add:
- Crackers
- Crostini
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
- Grapes
- Carrot sticks
- Celery
- Bell pepper strips
- Toasted nuts
- Olives
- Parmesan twists
If you’re also serving puff pastry bites, sliders, meatballs, and other substantial appetizers, one dip is probably enough.
Remember what comes after appetizers.
Turkey.
Stuffing.
Potatoes.
Gravy.
Casseroles.
Rolls.
Pie.
The dip does not need to prove anything.
Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate perishable dips within 2 hours.
Store them in airtight containers at 40°F or below.
Most of these dips are best used within 3 to 4 days.
Cranberry Whipped Feta
Keep refrigerated.
Stir gently before serving again.
Fresh nuts are better added after refrigeration.
Baked Brie Dip
Refrigerate leftovers.
Reheat until the center reaches 165°F.
The texture may be thicker after refrigeration.
Spinach Parmesan Dip
Reheat covered at 350°F until it reaches 165°F.
Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip
Serve chilled or let it soften briefly before serving, while keeping total room-temperature time within safe limits.
Pumpkin Sage Dip
Reheat in the oven or microwave until it reaches 165°F.
If it becomes thick, stir in a small splash of milk.
And remember the easiest leftover-dip strategy of all.
Crackers.
No reinvention required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good dips for Thanksgiving?
Cranberry feta, baked Brie, spinach Parmesan, caramelized onion, pumpkin cheese, white bean, and warm goat cheese dips all work well with holiday flavors.
How many dips should I serve at Thanksgiving?
One or two are usually enough when you’re serving a full Thanksgiving dinner.
What Thanksgiving dips can be made ahead?
Whipped feta, onion dip, spinach dip, and pumpkin cheese dip can all be prepared largely or completely the day before.
What is a good cold Thanksgiving dip?
Cranberry pecan whipped feta and caramelized onion bacon dip are both easy cold options.
What is a good hot Thanksgiving dip?
Baked Brie cranberry dip and hot spinach Parmesan dip are reliable choices.
What can I use instead of crackers for dipping?
Try crostini, apple slices, pear slices, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumber, or pretzel crisps.
Can I keep cheese dip warm in a slow cooker?
Yes, some fully cooked cheese dips can be held on WARM. Keep hot-held food at 140°F or above.
Can Thanksgiving dips sit out all afternoon?
No. Perishable dips should generally not remain at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Can I make pumpkin dip savory?
Yes. Use plain pumpkin puree with cheese, garlic, herbs, mustard, and black pepper rather than sweet pumpkin pie ingredients.
How much dip should I make per person?
Around 2 to 4 tablespoons per person is a useful starting point when other appetizers and a full Thanksgiving dinner are being served.
Wrapping Up
Thanksgiving dips are at their best when they’re easy enough that they don’t compete with the actual holiday cooking.
Make cranberry pecan whipped feta dip when you want something cool, tangy, and colorful.
Choose baked Brie cranberry dip for a warm appetizer that immediately feels like Thanksgiving.
Go with hot spinach Parmesan dip when you want a familiar crowd favorite.
Prepare caramelized onion bacon dip when getting most of the work done the day before sounds particularly appealing.
Or try warm pumpkin sage cheese dip for a savory way to bring pumpkin onto the appetizer table.
Pick one or two.
Add plenty of sturdy dippers.
Prepare as much as possible ahead.
And don’t let the appetizer table get too ambitious.
The mashed potatoes haven’t even arrived yet.
