Description
Spicy Korean hot honey chili crunch dip blends sweet, tangy, and fiery flavors from Seoul’s street food scene. Bold ingredients create a phenomenal appetizer that sparks conversation and delights guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons chili crunch (like Lao Gan Ma or any crispy chili oil)
- 1 tablespoon green onions or chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon crispy bacon bits (optional, for extra crunch)
- 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 120 g (½ cup) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 60 g (¼ cup) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsps hot honey (or regular honey + 1 tsp hot sauce)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mixing Base: Whip cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise into a smooth, velvety mixture using a hand mixer or vigorous whisking technique until completely blended.
- Flavor Infusion: Incorporate hot honey, chili crunch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper into the creamy foundation, stirring thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly and create a harmonious flavor profile.
- Taste Calibration: Sample the dip and adjust spice levels by carefully introducing additional hot honey or chili crunch, fine-tuning the heat and sweet dimensions to personal preference.
- Flavor Melding: Refrigerate the dip for 30 minutes, allowing ingredients to marry and intensify their aromatic complexity, which enhances overall taste and textural depth.
- Serving Presentation: Transfer the dip to a serving vessel, revealing a tantalizing blend of creamy texture and vibrant zesty notes, perfectly prepared for accompanying crackers, vegetable crudités, or preferred dipping companions.
Notes
- Cream Cheese Softening: Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free texture without overmixing.
- Spice Adjustment: Start with small amounts of chili crunch and hot honey, tasting gradually to control heat intensity and prevent overwhelming spiciness.
- Chill for Flavor Fusion: Refrigerate the dip for at least 30 minutes to allow ingredients to meld, enhancing the overall taste and depth of flavors.
- Versatile Serving Options: Experiment with different dipping companions like pretzels, pita chips, roasted vegetables, or use as a spread for sandwiches and wraps.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 197 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg