For most of my life, the only dip I really knew and loved was my mom’s Spinach Dip. It was served cold and it was creamy and I could easily ignore the fact that it had spinach in it. So it was the only dip for me. That is, until I went to a party where a baked Spinach Dip was being served and everything changed. See, this dip was served hot. And it wasn’t even just spinach, it also had artichokes! And ooey-gooey, melty cheese! It was heaven, if heaven is knowing that there are other dips out there and enjoying them too. Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip is still something I very much enjoy. (Along with quite a few other dips too!)

A lot of creamy dips rely on mayo, sour cream, or cream cheese for their creaminess. This one has all three, just for good measure. That trio is flavored with minced garlic, garlic powder, and onion powder. Why garlic powder AND minced garlic? Well, they really bring two completely different garlic flavors and I am pretty much always on board with more garlic flavor. Stir those together until they’re smooth and then add in some mozzarella and parmesan before you add the namesakes of the dip.

Frozen chopped spinach is the way to go here. You want to thaw it, of course, and then you want to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. (No one wants a watery baked dip.) My favorite method is to put the spinach in a clean kitchen towel, ball it up, and then just squeeze out the liquid with my hands. Easy peasy. For artichoke hearts, you can use marinated or un-marinated — it’s really up to your preference. I like to chop them, even if they come in quarters. It makes for easier dipping later on.

Get that mixture into your favorite dip dish and top it with more mozzarella…

… and bake! Maybe even broil it a bit if you like your cheese extra golden.

The end result is as creamy and cheesy as you could ever want it to be but the garlic, spinach, and artichokes give it so much nuanced flavor. You can get to dipping with sliced baguette, crackers…

but my favorite might be a nice little crispy pita chip.