It's snack season! Game day, upcoming holidays, movie nights... you're going to need something too much on and there's nothing better than this easy recipe!
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Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This mouthwatering, creamy snack is made with real ingredients you can feel good about enjoying!
- You'll love it on game day, movie night, or for casual parties. It's a perfect dip with fresh veggies and chips of all kinds.
- Properly caramelizing your onions takes the flavor to a whole new level. It's simple—I'll show you how to do it!
Homemade caramelized onion dip is one of those easy recipes that no one—family members or party guests—can resist snacking on.
Plus, chip dip is easy to prep in advance, which means when the big game rolls around, you can kick your feet up and relax with the family.
🧾 Cream cheese onion dip ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Use a mix of onion varieties—you don't have to stick to just one kind:
- Yellow onions provide the most traditional onion flavor.
- White onions are a bit milder than yellow.
- Cipollinis, shallots, and sweet Vidalia onions have a higher sugar content than white and yellow, so they make a sweet onion dip.
- Feel free to add more onions if you prefer a stronger flavor.
- Slice the onions thinly instead of chopping them for a unique texture.
- Amp up the cheesy flavor by stirring in some freshly shredded cheddar.
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as chives, green onions, or parsley.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- In a large skillet, caramelize the onions and garlic until golden brown.
- Whisk sour cream, softened cream cheese, and Worcestershire sauce together in a medium bowl.
- Let onions cool to room temperature. Fold them into the creamy dip.
- Season with salt and transfer to a large bowl. Chill for one hour.
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
Creamy caramelized onion dip actually tastes best the next day or two, after all the flavors mingle together. So, leftovers are always delicious.
The best way to store a cream cheese dip is in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy this within five days of when you first mix it up.
Feel free to freeze leftover dip in a sealed container for up to three months. Put it in the fridge to thaw overnight—don't try to speed up this process with a microwave.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: This caramelized onion dip recipe is delish on the first day but so much better on the second. I always recommend making it a day ahead of time now.
- Watch the onions closely to prevent them from scorching or burning. If medium seems too hot, don't be afraid to turn the temp down a bit.
- Onions tend to caramelize best over slow heat, stirring every few minutes or so. It takes a little patience, but is so worth it!
- Forgot to soften the cream cheese? You can soften it quickly in the microwave using the 50% or defrost setting. Just don't melt it.
- I recommend going a tad light on the salt at first, especially if you plan to enjoy the dip with salty potato chips. It's up to you, though!
- If you taste the dip and it doesn't seem to have enough onion flavor don't be afraid to stir in some onion powder. Be sure to do it a little at a time.
- Same goes for the garlic. Use a bit of garlic powder to make it taste the way you want.
- Place the bowl of dip into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it chilled all night. This is my favorite hack for party dips.
👩🍳 FAQs
Some people swap the sour cream with unflavored Greek yogurt. This can make the dip a tad watery, but it's fine if you're in a pinch.
They should be golden brown and super, super soft. They'll easily break into smaller pieces when "chopped" with the narrow edge of a sturdy spatula. They should look like the 3rd image above in the instructions section.
Nope! This easy onion dip is served chilled—no baking required. It's a homemade version of the onion dip packets you might buy at the grocery store.
I like to garnish the top with some Montreal steak seasoning. It's yummy, and makes the dip look pretty and finished. You can skip this step, or use everything bagel seasoning. Yum.
📚 Related recipes
- Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is spicy, creamy, and topped with a crunchy cracker topping. It's everything you want from game day food!
- If your family likes BLT sandwiches, they'll adore no-bake BLT Dip. I'll show you how to make it in a fun lettuce "bowl" for an impressive look.
- Looking for an easy dip recipe to serve hot? Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip with Smoked Provolone is bursting with flavor and sooooo gooey.
- Cream Cheese Sausage Balls Recipe
- Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits
- Spinach Dip with Cream Cheese
- Saltine Cracker Recipe (Soda Crackers)
🍽️ Serve with...
- You can't go wrong with tortilla chips, corn chips, from-scratch soda crackers, and some carrot sticks—for a fresh option, of course!
- Homemade onion dip tastes awesome when spread on lightly toasted slices of potato garlic baguette.
- Use onion dip leftovers on a pastrami sandwich made with chewy Rye bread—these sandwiches are the ultimate delicious lunch!
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I love this chip and dip platter because it's flat with a bowl built in! Bowls hold chips just fine but if you're serving crudites with your chips and dip you have to use serveral dishes.
If you're going to caramelize onions you need a cast iron skillet. I like Lodge the best - it's what I use.
📞 The last word
Onion dip is a classic appetizer at parties and get-togethers. It's been popular for decades... because it's delicious!
My recipe is absolutely a stunner! It's full of garlic and caramelized onion flavor plus it's so creamy that you just can't stop eating it.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Onion Dip
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds onions, sliced thinly
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- green onions, optional garnish
- Montreal Steak Seasoning, optional garnish
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Instructions
- Melt butter together with the olive oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onions and garlic.
- Sprinkle lightly with the salt and sauté until onions begin to turn golden and caramelize. Stir frequently. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until onions are deep golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Be careful because they can burn easily at this point.
- Remove from heat and cool onions to room temperature.
- Coarsely chop onion mixture with the spatula.
- Combine sour cream, cream cheese, and worcestershire in a bowl.
- Mix until well blended.
- Fold in the onions.
- Season to taste with salt.
- Transfer to serving bowl.
- Cover; chill at least 1 hour.
- Keep refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of Montreal Steak Seasoning if desired.
Notes
- It's even better the second day!
- Watch the onions closely to prevent them from scorching or burning.
- Onions tend to caramelize best over slow heat, stirring every few minutes or so. It takes a little patience, but is so worth it!
- If you taste the dip and it doesn't seem to have enough onion flavor don't be afraid to stir in some onion powder. Be sure to do it a little at a time.
- Same goes for the garlic. Use a bit of garlic powder to make it taste the way you want.
- Place the bowl of dip into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it chilled all night. This is my favorite hack for party dips.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published February 2, 2012. Last updated September 7, 2023, with better images and minor recipe adjustments.
Original images
Cindy
I made your Homemade Onion Dip for a party last weekend, and it's a new favorite - thank you!
Cindy
I made your Homemade Onion Dip for game night last weekend, and it was a hit! Thank you!
Cindy
I like to make homemade onion dip but I really love your caramelized onions!!! They made the dip so good.
Camden Rusincovitch
Looking forward to making this homemade onion dip for snacks this week!
Cynthia
Carmelized onions make all the difference in this homemade onion dip!