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Everyone’s Favorite Thanksgiving Desserts.
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The simplest holiday appetizer—and such a good one for entertaining! Think of it like a creamy bowl of broccoli cheddar soup turned into a warm, cozy dip everyone will devour. Fresh broccoli is mixed with cream cheese, a few spices, and plenty of cheddar. I use both sharp white cheddar for tang and classic yellow cheddar for that perfect melt. A splash of hot sauce adds subtle heat, and lots of black pepper brings everything together. Bake until bubbly and golden on top, then serve with hard pretzel twists (trust me—this is the secret!). It’s a guaranteed holiday favorite.
Since it’s Thanksgiving week, most of us already have our menus set, the turkey thawing, and the timeline ready. But sometimes you just need one more appetizer… or something easy to bring along to someone else’s house. Either way, this dip is the recipe you want to make this holiday season.
I know it’s not the most classic holiday appetizer, but after making all the usual favorites—goat cheese stuffed dates, crostini, and everything else we all love—this year I wanted something different. Something cozy, cheesy, and fun.
The moment I thought of broccoli cheddar dip, I knew I had to make it. It sounded too delicious not to share. I considered a more traditional option, maybe a cranberry dip, but I made this instead… and definitely didn’t regret it.
It’s simple, comforting, and so delicious!
These are the details
Ingredients
- broccoli florets
- cream cheese
- plain Greek yogurt – or you can use sour cream
- mayo
- hot sauce
- fresh thyme
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- smoked paprika
- black pepper
- cheddar cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- salted pretzels – for scooping
Tools
All you need is a large pot, a bowl, and your favorite baking dish.
The Steps
Step 1: pre-cook the broccoli
I debated this step, but in the end, I wanted the broccoli to turn out just right. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the broccoli, and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until it turns bright green. Drain well.
Step 2: mix it together
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, yogurt, mayo, hot sauce, spices, and all three cheeses. Mix until everything is creamy and evenly combined.
Step 3: bake it
Spoon the dip into a baking dish and add extra cheddar on top, if you’d like.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cheese melts and the top is lightly bubbling.
Time to serve
I love serving this with salted pretzel twists. They’re simple and perfect—and once you try them with this dip, you’ll never go back. Any appetizer made with cream cheese needs a pretzel for dipping!
Pretty close to the perfect holiday appetizer. Everyone will enjoy this one!
Looking for other easy holiday appetizers? Here are my favorites:
Whipped Goat Cheese Candied Bacon Dip
Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates
Pull Apart Roasted Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli Cheddar Dip, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Broccoli Cheddar Dip
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- black pepper
- hard pretzel twists for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook 1-2 minutes, until bright green. Drain.3. In a bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Add the broccoli and season with pepper. Mix until creamy.4. Spoon the dip into your favorite baking dish. Bake 25 minutes, until bubbly on top. Serve with hard pretzels. Trust me - SO DELICIOUS!
This post was originally published on November 24, 2025
I had leftover broccoli and shredded cheese so I was able to make this fun dip. My husband loved it and we had it with some corn chips! Great dip for watching football games. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey there,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your thoughts, so happy it worked for you!
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Hi! I was wondering why we don’t see you anymore doing intros to your recipe videos. They are definitely missed!
Thanks Carolla! I do sometimes, just depends on the day:) Thanks for asking!
This honestly was so horrible… it was so dairy heavy that you couldn’t even tell there was broccoli in it. Very overpowering dairy.
Very sorry to hear this, Barbara. Thanks for trying the recipe!
Hi! Planning to make this for thanksgiving. It looks delicious! Can it be made ahead of time? If so, any changes to the recipe? Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much, Jessica! You bet, just make up until the baking point, cover with foil, and then bake as directed when you are ready to serve!
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Tieghan!
I’m sorry, but this recipe is just awful. The broccoli is basically hidden under the avalanche of dairy. Between the cream cheese, yogurt, mayo and triple-cheeses it’s way too heavy and lacks balance. The texture ends up more like a greasy spread than a dip, and the flavor feels muddled. This fell flat for me, I’m glad I tested it before serving to guests.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, very sorry to hear it was not good for you!
Why do you insist on eating this with pretzels? Wouldn’t crackers or chips be easier? You seemed to struggle in your video keeping the dip on the pretzel.
Hi Kathryn,
Please feel free to serve this dip with whatever you like:) Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Tieghan, I see this post calls for a 1-2 minute boil of the broccoli. Your demo on Instagram said 2-3 minutes. Which should I do? Why are these different?
Hey Gina! Happy almost Thanksgiving!
Anywhere from 1-3 minutes it perfect for the broccoli. You are looking for it to turn bright green in color. I just messed up a bit with my Instagram story. I apologize.
Hope you love this dip. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Fun idea, but the ingredient list reads like a dairy explosion. Between the double cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, and yogurt, the broccoli becomes more of an accessory than the star. A little restraint could make this feel more like a recipe and less like a cheese avalanche.
Hi Jordan,
Let me know if you give this recipe a try:) Thanks for the comment!
I get the concept, but your execution feels excessive. There’s so much dairy packed into this dip that it almost overwhelms the broccoli completely, and the texture comes out more like a cheese spread than something balanced. It could be improved possibly with fewer ingredients and a lighter hand.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Kara. Let me know if you give the recipe a try!
Can this be made in advance, then refrigerated and reheated before serving?! Also does it taste good if the cheeses are swapped out with any alternative cheeses?
Hi Meg,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do! You could swap cheeses, the flavors are just going to change:)
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
This looks really good! Do you think using frozen broccoli would work and if so, do you suggest heating it up a little before adding it to the other ingredients?
Thanks so much, Amber! I would get the fresh broccoli if you can:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try!
That seems like a lot of hot sauce. I assume Tabasco! Not too hot?
Hi Heidi,
I like to use Frank’s Red Hot, which I think is less spicy than Tabasco.
I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
I have quite an aversion to the flavor of mayo.
Any guess or suggestions of any substitution would work?
This sounds so good and came just in time for a houseful of unexpected guests coming tonight.
Hi Heidi,
You could use additional yogurt or sour cream in place of the mayo.
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
As for the 3/4 cup of white cheddar and 3/4 cup of cheddar (both shredded) is that correct?
Hi Judes,
Yes, that is correct.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving!
Wouldn’t the broccoli just cook in the oven? Is one minute of boiling really necessary? How did that make a difference in your testing?
Hi Nicole,
I debated this step, but in the end, I wanted the broccoli to turn out just right. Boiling for 1-2 minutes really does make a difference:) I hope you love this recipe!
Happy Thanksgiving!