Cranberry Cream Cheese Appetizer

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure and Privacy Policy.

This cranberry cream cheese appetizer is an easy Christmas party food idea you won’t be able to resist! You’ll love that it takes only 10 minutes to bake and tastes great served warm or cold. These flavorful little cups are an easy holiday finger food that everyone can enjoy. Serve this cream cheese phyllo cup appetizer at your next holiday party!

Christmas Party Food

When it comes to Christmas party food I look for simple ideas with ingredients that either look or feel like Christmas to me. And with this cranberry cream cheese appetizer, I’ve achieved both! The red, green and white colors featured in this finger food are perfect for the holidays while the cranberries and cream cheese just taste like a Christmas appetizer to me!

If you love cream cheese small bites for a party, try these Salmon and Cucumber Bites. They are also super light and elegant!

Cream Cheese Appetizer Ingredients

To make this appetizer recipe, you’ll need the following simple ingredients:

• cream cheese
• phyllo cups
• green onion
• cranberry relish or jam (homemade or store bought)
• fresh parsley

How to Make a Cranberry Cream Cheese Appetizer

Making cranberry cream cheese appetizers like this one is really quite simple. Last month I featured cranberry salsa served over softened cream cheese and the flavor combination was killer. When I made this cranberry relish with fresh cranberries, I knew it would be great for appetizers.

Any recipe that you normally make which features a jam or jelly would taste delicious with this sweet relish recipe. Four ingredients and 5 minutes are all you need. I recommend making your cranberry relish at least several hours ahead of time so the flavors have a chance to really come together and thicken up. 

Visit this post for how to make cranberry relish.

Now that you’ve got your cranberry relish prepared, it is time to make your cream cheese mixture. For this I beat softened cream cheese and diced green onion until well combined.

While this is a simple base, the flavors really complement the cranberries.

While you could serve this appetizer cold, I wanted mine warmed up. These phyllo cups are perfect making Christmas finger foods quickly.

I spooned the cream cheese mixture evenly into 30 phyllo cups and use the back of the spoon to create a well to hold the cranberry relish.

Ten minutes in a preheated oven is all you need to warm up these little cups of deliciousness.

To complete the look I added little sprigs of fresh parsley to each appetizer cup.

If you are looking for something with a bit of kick you can add some jalapeno peppers to your cranberry relish or you can top this cream cheese appetizer with something hotter like this pineapple habanero sauce.

4.5 from 18 votes

Print

Cranberry Cream Cheese Appetizer

This cranberry cream cheese appetizer is an easy Christmas party food idea you won't be able to resist! You'll love that it takes only 10 minutes to bake and tastes great served warm or cold. These flavorful little cups are an easy holiday finger food that everyone can enjoy. Serve this cream cheese phyllo cup appetizer at your next holiday party!

Keyword christmas appetizer, christmas party food, cranberry cream cheese appetizer, cranberry relish, easy appetizer, finger foods, holiday appetizer, phyllo cup appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 30

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup finely diced green onion
• 2/3 cup cranberry relish or jam
• 30 phyllo cups
• fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Prepare homemade cranberry relish several hours in advance (See post for link to full recipe).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat green onion and cream cheese until well combined.
4. Fill phyllo cups with cream cheese mixture, creating a small well in center of cup for relish.

5. Add a dollop of cranberry relish to the center of each cup, approximately 1 teaspoon.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
7. Add a small sprig of parsely to each cup before serving.
8. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Party Tip: Use the leftover cranberry relish by serving over warmed brie cheese or include it as a spread for a charcuterie board for another easy Christmas party food idea!  

That’s all there is to making these adorable little appetizer cups. The best part about them is even one they cool off, they still taste good. If you are short on time you can replace the homemade relish with a purchased jam or jelly but I think the relish is worth it. The recipe is so quick and very versatile for other uses.

Need more holiday appetizer ideas?

Try Neiman Marcus Dip, a personal favorite of mine for the holidays or show some more red and green on your buffet table with this avocado toast topped with tomatoes and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Yum!