I cannot think of an occasion where I don’t love to see a cheese plate. There is nothing better — or more simple — than setting out a variety of cheese and pairing it with some crackers, nuts, and/or dried fruit. But as good as that is, I find it really elevates the whole thing to pair it with a simple spread like this. One that uses wallet-friendly cream cheese, comes together in mere minutes, and balances so many bright and vibrant flavors. This spread is easy to make and it goes a long way, which is great news because it sure is a crowd-pleaser!

What Ingredients Do You Need for Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread?

You don’t need a lot! The list is:

• Cream cheese.
• Orange zest.
• Dried cranberries.
• Dried apricots.
• Chopped pecans.

See? So simple. And I love that this is really an economical choice for a cheese spread. You don’t need to buy any fancy cheese, but it’s still delicious!

How Do You Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread?

Okay, ready?

Make sure your cream cheese is nice and soft. Then, put it in a bowl with the orange zest, cranberries, and apricots. Grab a hand mixer. Mix it.

And then go ahead and stir in the pecans and a pinch of salt. That’s it. You’re done.

How Do You Serve Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread?

Well, my favorite option — as mentioned before — is to serve it as a cracker spread alongside a couple of other cheeses and some sliced bread. But you can get pretty creative with it.

You could spread this on a bagel. (Delicious!) Or toast! You could use this to stuff some chicken breasts and really elevate a weeknight dinner. You could even use this as a filling with some crescent dough or puff pastry to make some delicious little party bites. So many options!