Congratulations, you've found a recipe for the easiest and most crowd-pleasing dessert! This Lemon Cream Cheese Fruit Dip works for a wide range of special diets, is easy to prepare ahead, and makes an impressive dessert platter for your next gathering.
The dip tastes just like lemon cheesecake filling; it's lightly sweetened, a little tangy, and the lemon flavor shines through. It is perfect for fresh berries, apple slices, or even graham crackers, vanilla cookies, and pretzels. You can make this a dairy-free dip or use standard dairy products, it's flexible!
Looking for more citrus dessert inspiration? Try these Cranberry Cheesecake Bars, Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies, or Rhubarb Cookies!
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Ingredients
There are only 5 ingredients for this recipe but they sure do combine to make a delicious dessert!
I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
Cream Cheese: Use full fat cream cheese, light cream cheese, or Neufchatel cheese.
Heavy Cream: Use heavy cream to help soften the cream cheese into a dippable or spreadable texture. Half and half will also work!
Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioner's sugar, store-bought powdered sugar contains a bit of corn starch.
Vanilla Extract: I used pure vanilla extract here, but this would be a great place to use vanilla bean paste if you have it on hand. Those lovely specks of vanilla won't get lost in this minimal recipe.
One Lemon: Zest the lemon first, enough to get one teaspoon of zest. Pro tip: zest the lemon over your mixing bowl to capture all the fragrant oils that are released! Then, juice the lemon for two tablespoons of juice.
Instructions
Gather your ingredients, a medium bowl, and an electric mixer.
Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place it in the bowl along with the coconut milk.
Beat this for 3-4 minutes. You want a very smooth consistency. Start with low speed to prevent the cream from splattering all over the place.
Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, zest, and lemon juice and beat for another full minute to completely mix in all of the ingredients. If you want a soft and dippable texture, you're done! Transfer this to your serving bowl and serve. If you'd like a more spreadable texture, simply refrigerate for one hour or more before serving.
Make a Dairy-Free Fruit Dip
This recipe easily transforms into a vegan and dairy-free cheesecake dip. Make these two swaps:
- Dairy-Free Cream Cheese for Standard Cream Cheese - The one I I have used (from Trader Joe's) lists coconut oil, potato starch, and chickpea protein as the main ingredients. Use your favorite brand and let me know how it works for you in the comments.
- Coconut Milk for Heavy Cream - Shake your canned coconut milk well before opening the can to distribute all of the fat that normally sits on top of the more watery coconut milk. Now you can measure out the quarter cup and save the rest for smoothies or curry.
Variations
This recipe is simple enough that you can change up the flavors to make it your own. here are some suggestions:
- Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip - Omit the lemon zest and juice and add 2 more tablespoons of heavy cream. Fold in ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips at the very end.
- Berry Cheesecake Dip - Add in ¼ cup of your favorite berry jam after whipping the cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Chocolate Cheesecake Dip - Add in 2 tablespoons of dark cocoa powder when you add the powdered sugar.
Equipment
I always make this dip with a hand mixer, but with some elbow grease you can make it with a whisk. Be sure to start with softened cream cheese to make it easier on yourself!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. This dip will not freeze well, the texture will suffer upon thawing.
Choose Your Desired Texture
To make this a spreadable cream cheese fruit dip for crackers, vanilla cookies, or pretzel thins, refrigerate the dip for at least an hour. Immediately after preparing the dip it is a smooth and soft texture perfect for dipping berries or other fruit.
FAQ
Absolutely! Substitute vegan cream cheese for the regular cream cheese and coconut milk for the heavy cream.
Yes. Once you've incorporated all of the ingredients, transfer the dip into a serving dish and cover it so that it's airtight. Refrigerate it until you are ready to serve it. The dip will be spreadable right out of the refrigerator, but once it is warmed up to room temperature you can easily dip your berries or cookies into it.
The dip makes a great after-school snack for the kids if you provide some graham crackers. As a dessert platter, you can place the dip in the center of a large plate and surround it with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries on a toothpick, vanilla cookies, and graham crackers. A few mint leaves for garnish would be pretty. Finally, we've been enjoying this on toast or a plain bagel for breakfast with a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Lemon Cream Cheese Fruit Dip and share the recipe with family or friends. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Other Recipes with Lemon!
I am a huge fan of lemon, whether it in sweet or savory recipes. Here are some other recipes to try if you feel the same way!
Recipe
Lemon Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- berries, vanilla cookies, or graham crackers for dipping
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese and heavy cream to a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes, or until completely smooth, starting at low speed and gradually increasing to high.
- Add in sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and juice. Beat an additional minute to incorporate all ingredients well.
- Serve immediately or chill the dip in a serving bowl for at least an hour for a more spreadable consistency.
Notes
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
Please comment with any questions about the recipe!