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!