Old Bay Caramel Apple Dip
Old Bay Caramel Apple Dip- A creamy and fluffy dessert perfect for dipping apples or graham crackers made with a special and unexpected Maryland twist!
December 30, 2020 by Nicole Collins
2020.
The year where everything is made up and the points don't matter.
As we approach the last day of this year, it's typically a time of reflection on what's happened while setting goals for what's to come in the New Year. But in reality, I think all of us have probably done a lot of reflecting all year long as a side effect of this absolutely unbelievable year that we've had.
And what a truly unbelievable year it's been.
It's crazy to think that our kids and grandkids will read about 2020 in their history books. Between civil rights movements and a life changing pandemic to the election of our first female Vice President, we've truly been living in an unprecedented time.
There's been so much tragedy, so much heartbreak, so much terror, and just so much negativity overall; I can only hope that everyone walks into 2021 with a sense of hope so we can start to rebuild all that we've lost courtesy of the year 2020.
2020 has brought some valuable lessons, though. Businesses have learned to think outside of the box and adapt with changing circumstances. Humanity has learned to have a little compassion. And for me personally, I've definitely pushed my creativity to a new level. So, I'm trying to find the little glimmer of good in a really difficult year.
One of the things that 2020 has given me was a new found love of Old Bay in desserts. That may sound like a strange thing to be grateful for, but we're celebrating the small wins, right? Pushing my creativity means outside of the box thinking for me too. And, that outside of the box thinking is how we get recipes like today's sweet treat.
So today, we're making Old Bay Caramel Apple Dip!
This is one of those desserts that will make your loved ones say “hmmm”. They'll know there's something special about this dip, but I guarantee they won't be able to put their finger on what it is. Old Bay and cinnamon is quickly becoming one of my new favorite pairings; so of course, they're making an appearance together in today's dessert!
This dip whips up very easily with just a handful of ingredients, and those are the best kinds of treats, right?
To start, we need some heavy cream that we'll whip until it has stiff peaks and turns into whipped cream. I like to use a stand mixer to whip cream, because it can whip the cream to perfection in just a minute or two. But if you don't have a stand mixer, you can absolutely use a hand beater to whip this cream. It will just take a little longer. And bonus tip, if you put your whisk attachment in the freezer for about 15 mins before you start whipping your cream, it will whip up even faster.
After our cream is whipped, we can start adding in our flavoring agents. Caramel topping (like the kind you buy for ice cream), vanilla, cinnamon, Old Bay, and powdered sugar get whipped into the whipped cream until they're just combined. Then we'll add in some softened cream cheese to give our dip some body, and we'll whip everything together until it's fluffy and creamy. Then, to the fridge it goes to chill for about an hour.
When it's time to serve, you have options for what you want to use as a dipper. Apples are perfection with this dip. Graham crackers also taste amazing with this dip. And, you could also go the sweet/savory route and dip some pretzels in this dip.
Either way, this dip is so amazing. It's light and fluffy thanks to the whipped cream and cream cheese. It's rich and sweet thanks to the caramel sauce. And, it has a nice hint of warm spices thanks to the cinnamon and Old Bay.
Now, adding Old Bay to this dessert does not make our dessert taste like seafood. We're only adding a little bit of the spice, after all. But, the savory and spicy flavors in the Old Bay compliment the warm notes in the cinnamon. And together, they bring out the best parts of each other to create this magical pairing. It's warm and comforting while being different and special.
So simply put, it's freaking delicious!
Ok everyone, this is the last official blog post of 2020! What a year it's been for sure, but I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for us in 2021!
Stay safe. Have a Happy New Year. Enjoy, and let's eat!
Old Bay Caramel Apple Dip
Serves: about 2 cups Print
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup caramel topping
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp powdered sugar
4 oz cream cheese, softened
apple slices and graham crackers, for serving
Directions:
Add heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip cream on high until stiff peaks form, about 1-1 ½ mins.
Add caramel sauce, vanilla, cinnamon, Old Bay, and powdered sugar to the whipped cream. Beat on medium speed until everything is just combined.
Add cream cheese to the mixer. Beat on medium speed until the mix is smooth and fully combined. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with apple slices and graham crackers.
Recipe notes:
*Putting the whisk attachment in the freezer for about 15 mins before before whipping the cream will help it to whip a little faster.
*If you don't have a stand mixer, you could also whip the cream and beat the dip using a hand mixer. It will just take a little longer to whip the cream.
*I used the caramel topping that you buy for ice cream for this recipe.
*Leftover dip can be stored in the fridge for about a week.
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