Spicy Cheddar Cheese Dip
Silky smooth, rich and spicy, this cheddar cheese dip is addicting! Bring out the tortilla chips and dig in.
UPDATE: This’s Day 2 of 5 Days of Cheesy Dip Series. If you missed it, here’s Day 1. Also, I made a quick video to show you just how easy it is to make this spicy cheddar cheese dip.
One of the greatest pleasures in life is having unlimited cheese dip with tortilla chips paired with margaritas. You’re too? Great, because I’m here to share with you a few secrets to the smoothest and most flavorful cheese dips. Are you in?
Too many times, when making cheese dips, I’ve ended up with gritty, clumpy, not appetizing cheese concoctions. Through trials and errors and some research online, I’ve finally found the secrets to the smoothest cheese sauce without processed cheese (like velveeta and/or american cheese). I have nothing against those though!
So here are my takeaways:
- Grate your own cheese! Pre-shredded cheese has additives, which make things complicated. Buy a quality block of cheddar cheese and grate it yourself. I personally love Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese (white) and Crystal Farms Wisconsin Extra Sharp Cheddar (yellow).
- Cornstarch in this recipe is not here to thicken the mixture. Instead, it’s playing an anti-clumping role here. Combined with whole milk, it acts as an emulsifier. Here is the thing, when cheese is melted, it breaks down. So emulsifier helps things to stay smooth.
- As I mentioned above, use whole milk. Because whole milk = higher fat content, which leads to smoother cheese dip. The same goes for cheddar cheese and sour cream. Essentially, the higher the fat, the better! This’s NOT a diet food, but it’s all worth it!
Now, you know all the secrets. Go ahead and make a batch of this deliciously rich cheddar cheese dip! And don’t forget to share it.
Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe. Thank you for stopping by!
Spicy Cheddar Cheese Dip
Yield: 1.5 cups
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
- ½ cup regular sour cream (nor reduced fat stuff)
- 8oz (225gr) extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- Tortilla chips for serving
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add chopped jalapeño. Sauté for a minute.
- Meanwhile, in a small cup mix cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth.
- Add the remaining milk, cornstarch mixture and sour cream into the sautéed jalapeño. Mix until combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the cheddar cheese. Melt the cheese slowly, stirring constantly.
- Stir in hot sauce.
- Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.
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This recipe was originally published on July 6th, 2015.
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Yes!!! I’ve been craving cheese dip forever but have never found a good recipe. Thanks for the recipe and the tips! 🙂
I think I’ll top it with crumbled bacon and call it dinner! 😉 Delicious!
I’m loving this! Pinned and tweeted! I always love your creations, thanks for sharing this with us! I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. Lou Lou Girls
The dip looks DIVIN Shinee!! Yums!! I may just try it out for my Dad’s birthday party!
I’m not a spicy fan, but I am a cheese fan and this dip looks amazing. Even better, it uses only real ingredients which I love. I may just try it, but without the jalapenos!
Jalapeños are totally optional. Hope you will love it. Thanks, Lydia!
Ooooooh I’m a chip/dip fanatic!! Your cheese dip looks to die for 😀 Can’t wait to test it out… like you, I’ve struggled with getting a great, smooth cheese dip…. thanks for the tips!
Thank you, Amanda! Hope you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
This looks great! I’ve pinned it and I can’t wait to try it out with a pitcher of margaritas.
Pass a chip please!! This dip looks amazing!
Cathy
Thank you, Cathy!
Hi Shinee. This recipe looks so delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Stopping over from Wow Me Wednesday link party. Pinning this recipe.
Bonbon, thanks for stopping by! 🙂
This looks amazing! Definitely going to try it for my next party!
Yay, let me know know how you like it. Thanks!
Aaaand I pin! Hubby will love it.
Thank you!
I am so like you, love chips and cheese dip. My biggest weakness!! Thanks for sharing, going to have to try this one.
Yay, it’s so good. Let me know how you like it, if you make it. Thanks, Cheryl!
This looks incredible! The most perfect cheesy dip I’ve ever seen! I can’t wait to make this this weekend 🙂 YUM!
Yay, so glad you like this recipe, Rachael. Thanks for stopping by!
What a great recipe, Shinee! I always avoid buying cheese dip because it’s got so many preservatives, but I never thought of making it at home. I can’t wait to try out this recipe with all the tips you mentioned. It looks mouthwatering!
Thanks so much, Beeta! Hope you enjoy this one. 😉
Shinee,
I am drooling seeing this dip. I am addicted to the Cabot extra sharp and seriously sharp cheese. add to that the jalapenos and the hot sauce….Yum! I am in heaven! Thanks for sharing this recipe
Sure thing. Thanks for stopping by, Sandhya!
This looks incredible! Gimme alllll the chips 🙂
Thank you, Medha! 🙂