Set this Million Dollar Dip out and suddenly everyone ends up standing around the bowl instead of sitting. They keep going back for another scoop without realizing how much they’ve had.
It holds on the cracker without sliding. The base is smooth without feeling heavy, and you get bacon, cheese, and green onion in the same bite. I’ve made a lot of cold dips over the years, and this is the one I come back to because it stays creamy instead of turning dry or grainy after it sits.
Five ingredients. One bowl. Five minutes. No mixer needed. It looks effortless because it is.
Improving This Dip
Ingredient Notes
This recipe starts with the original. Helen Corbitt created it in 1953 for the Zodiac Room at the Neiman Marcus flagship store in Dallas. Back then it was called Almond-Bacon-Cheese Spread. It’s been copied and shared for 70 years, and most versions you find today are still working from that same base.
The ingredients haven’t changed much, but the products available to us have. Whipped cream cheese from a tub didn’t exist in 1953. Pre-cooked real bacon bits didn’t either.
Most versions of Million Dollar Dip you find online include almonds. This one doesn’t, and that’s intentional.
The whipped cream cheese already gives the dip enough body, so the almonds end up feeling separate instead of part of it. Without them, the bacon and cheddar come through without competition, and the whole thing eats cleaner. It also happens to be nut-free, which matters more than you’d think when you’re feeding a group.
I’ve made it both ways. This is the version I keep making. If you’re looking for more dip options for your gathering, check out my collection of dips and appetizers.
Where This Dip Can Go Wrong
The texture on this goes wrong quickly if the base isn’t right.
USE WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE: The first time I made it, I used a block of cream cheese that hadn’t fully softened and ended up with small lumps that never worked themselves out. That’s why I use whipped cream cheese from the tub.
Cold dips show every inconsistency in the base. The pre-whipped cream cheese mixes in smoothly right away, with no softening step and no risk of lumps.
SHRED YOUR OWN CHEDDAR: Freshly shredded cheese makes a difference you can see when you scoop it. I’ve made this with pre-shredded, and the dip had a slightly dry feel to it, like it wasn’t fully blending into the base.
That comes from the anti-caking coating on bagged cheese. In a cold dip where nothing is melted to hide it, you notice it right away. When you grate it yourself, it disappears into the mixture and the dip stays smooth.
GO FOR TIME-SAVING BACON BITS: The recipe calls for one cup of cooked bacon chopped into small bits. I use Hormel Real Bacon Bits when I want to save time and skip that step.
Real bacon gives you slightly more texture, but once everything is mixed together, it’s not a difference most people would notice. The bacon bits hold up well and give you the same salty, smoky, rich flavor, so I use whichever I have on hand.
The One Step That Makes This Dip Better
Make it ahead – I like this dip right after mixing, but it is even better once it has time to sit.
At one hour, it was thicker and held better on a cracker without sliding. At two hours, the garlic had worked into the base and the smokiness from the bacon had moved through everything. That second taste is the one that made me go back for another bite.
Give it at least an hour in the fridge before it goes on the table. Two hours and it’s the version people go back for.
Two Ways to Set This Out
The dip is already done. The hard part is over. This is just about how you set it out.
1. A round board with Ritz crackers and pretzel rounds arranged around the bowl takes five minutes and looks like you planned the whole thing.
2. Swap the crackers for raw vegetables and it becomes a completely different setup.
Both work because the dip is the centerpiece. Everything else is just what you put around it.
If you’re building a dip spread, I start with this Million Dollar Dip and add something warm like White Queso Dip or something sharper like Jalapeno Popper Dip. For another cold option, my Crack Dip lands in the same creamy space. For something with heat, my Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip is the one I reach for.
Creamy, savory, and packed with just enough crunch to keep each bite interesting, with more cold dip recipes that are just as easy to set out.
Million Dollar Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups shredded cheese (freshly shredded cheese off the block works best
- 7 chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste (you can also use 1 cube of Dorot crushed garlic)
- 1 cup chopped cooked bacon (you can also use Hormel Real Bacon Bits)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Stir well to combine all the ingredients together.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with shredded cheddar cheese, cooked bacon bits, and chopped green onions.
- Refrigerate this dip until ready to serve.
- Serve with chips, crackers, or your favorite vegetables.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven’t tested this as a hot dip and wouldn’t recommend it. The whipped cream cheese base is designed to be served cold — it’s what gives the dip its smooth texture. Served warm the base would likely separate and the texture would change significantly.
If you want a warm version of something similar, my Bacon Cheddar Cream Cheese Dip is designed to be baked and delivers the same bacon and cheddar flavors as a hot dip.
It keeps covered in the fridge for three to five days. It firms up as it sits. Give it a quick stir before serving and it comes right back. Don’t freeze it. The cream cheese and mayo will separate when thawed and the texture won’t recover.
Comments
Gloria says
We make this for game day snacking – easy and good!