If you’re a fan of creamy dips, million dollar dip is a must-try! The indulgent combination of cream cheese, mayo, grated cheddar, crispy bacon bits, and a few spices is hard to beat. I love making this easy appetizer for casual parties or just as a delicious snack.
This loaded dip — also known as Neiman Marcus dip as the original recipe is said to have been from at a restaurant inside Neiman Marcus — has so much flavor and texture. Serve it with crackers, potato chips, or even alongside a tray of fresh veggies! Plus, it tastes even better the next day, so feel free to prepare it a night ahead of time. For more dip recipes, try my beer cheese dip, spinach artichoke dip, or buffalo chicken dip.
Ingredients
Almonds — toasted slivered almonds add a delightful crunch to the creamy dip.
Cream cheese — softened cream cheese gives the most indulgent creamy texture.
Mayonnaise — like cream cheese, mayo is important for the creamy consistency, as well as flavor.
Cheddar cheese — either mild or sharp cheddar cheese tastes amazing in this easy dip recipe.
Bacon — cook bacon until crisp, then chop it up to make your own bacon bits.
Green onions — green onions add flavor and texture and are a pretty finishing touch.
Seasonings — garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper add loads of flavor.
How To Make Million Dollar Dip
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise.
2. Fold in the almonds.
3. Then add the grated cheese.
4. Add the chopped, crunchy bacon.
5. Add the green onions and seasonings and fold to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Top with a few more sliced scallions and serve.
Grate Your Own Cheese
Freshly grated cheddar will yield a creamier dip. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-clumping agents (which coat the shreds in a powdery substance), so while it is a convenient option, the taste and texture of freshly grated cheese is far superior. Grate on the largest holes of the box grater or food processor to get big pieces of cheddar cheese in every bite!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Substitute part of the mayo: Use a mix of Greek yogurt or sour cream for part of the mayonnaise. I do recommend using some mayo for flavor, so substitute up to half of it for the best dip.
- Swap the nuts: Chop up toasted walnuts or toasted pecans instead of using almonds.
- Use different cheese: I love cheddar for this recipe, but you can swap in blue cheese, Gruyère, or Swiss cheese for part of the cheddar. The total weight of the grated or crumbled cheese should be about 8 ounces (226g), which is about 2 cups.
How To Store
Store leftover million dollar dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this dip.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use brick-style cream cheese, not the kind that comes in a tub. Set it out at room temperature in advance to give it time to soften. You can follow my tips for how to soften butter to soften cream cheese quickly if you don’t have time to let it sit.
- Use a hand mixer: You can easily combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise using a hand mixer. But be sure to fold in the rest of the ingredients by hand for optimal texture.
- To toast the almonds, place them in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir very frequently to toast evenly for 5 to 7 minutes, until light brown and aromatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, million dollar dip tastes even better the next day! I usually prepare it a night in advance, until the end of step 2. When I’m ready to serve the dip, I remove it from the fridge, give it a mix, and then top it with extra green onions, as written in step 3.
Buttery crackers (like Ritz crackers) or your favorite crackers, toasted baguette slices, crostini made from French bread, air fryer potato chips, tortilla chips, and sliced fresh vegetables (like carrot sticks) all work very well.
You can use packaged bacon bits (I recommend using those marked “real bacon bits”), but the best flavor will come from freshly cooked and crumbled bacon. My air fryer bacon recipe is perfect for this dip!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this million dollar dip recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Million Dollar Dip Recipe
Equipment
- Box grater
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup slivered almonds toasted and chopped (90g)
- 1 (8-ounce/226g) package cream cheese softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise (210g)
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated (226g)
- 6 slices bacon cooked until crisp, finely chopped (40g)
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise with a rubber or silicone spatula and mix well to combine. (It’s ok if the mixture is not entirely smooth.)
- Fold in the chopped almonds, cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Top with a few more sliced scallions and serve with buttery crackers, toasted baguette, and/or fresh-cut vegetables.
Notes
- Use brick-style cream cheese, not the kind that comes in a tub. Set it out at room temperature in advance to give it time to soften. You can follow my tips for how to soften butter to soften cream cheese quickly if you don’t have time to let it sit.
- Use a hand mixer: You can easily combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise using a hand mixer. But be sure to fold in the rest of the ingredients by hand for optimal texture.
- To toast the almonds, place them in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir very frequently to toast evenly for 5 to 7 minutes, until light brown and aromatic.
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