Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Corn Dip
Servings 8
Calories 309kcal
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels frozen and defrosted, freshly cut off the cob or canned and drained
- ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños - finely chopped
- 8 oz brick of cream cheese - softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Slice bacon strips into small pieces (about ½” wide).
- Place bacon pieces in an oven safe skillet and heat the skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, tossing occasionally.
- Lower the heat all the way to low and take the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon leaving the grease behind. Set the cooked bacon aside and pour the corn and jalapeños into the skillet.
- Cook the corn and jalapeno in the bacon grease over medium-low tossing occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese and honey to the pan and stir until they are fully mixed in with the corn and jalapenos. Turn off the stove heat and pour the cooked bacon back into the pan. Stir it and top the dip with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Garnish with the scallions and serve warm with tortilla chips, kettle cooked potato chips or raw veggies for dipping.
Notes
Soften the cream cheese first. Room temperature cream cheese mixes in smoothly. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the dip no matter how much you stir. Set it out 30-60 minutes before you start.
Do not skip the honey. It sounds unusual in a savory dip but the honey is what makes this recipe special. It balances the salty bacon and spicy jalapenos and makes every bite taste perfectly sweet, spicy, and savory all at once.
Broil at the end. After the dip is baked and bubbling, switch the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes to get a golden, slightly crispy top. Watch it closely so it does not burn.
Make it ahead. Assemble the dip up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving for a stress-free party appetizer.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 797IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 0.4mg
