Charleston Cheese Dip

Name: Charleston Cheese Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 8 oz light cream cheese; 2 tbsp diced red onion; dash cayenne pepper; 8 crushed butter crackers; 4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled; green onion for garnish if desired

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This Classic Charleston Cheese Dip recipe is packed with cheeses, onion, and crunchy bacon and is ready in under 30 minutes. Once you try it, you’ll know why it’s always the hit of the party!

Serve alongside Buffalo Chicken Dip, Pimento Cheese, and Pigs in a Blanket for the ultimate party spread!

Charleston cheese dip in glass serving dish with hand holding tortilla chip with dip in the foreground

It’s football season, which means I’m breaking out all of my very favorite appetizer recipes, including this Charleston Cheese Dip I first shared here on the blog a whopping eight years ago! (If you like this dip, you’ll also want to try my Baked Bacon Cheddar Dip, Easy Artichoke Dip, or Jalapeño Corn Dips too!)

Just look at the video, that napping two-year-old I mention is now a fourth grader! Time flies! (And can I mention as I’m now 41 how remarkable it is to see myself at 33 on this video?)

Why I love this recipe

There is not much NOT to love about this easy appetizer recipe. I mean, three kinds of cheeses and bacon, need I say more? I also love that this recipe bakes up in just 15 minutes so I can get to snacking quickly!

Ingredients

This dip is super easy, just a few ingredients you might even already have on hand!

cheddar cheese
Monterey jack cheese
cream cheese
red onion
mayonnaise

cayenne pepper
Ritz crackers
bacon
green onion

Step by step

This recipe is very simple and fast to put together!

Mix cheese, onion, mayonnaise, and pepper in a bowl and spread into a shallow baking dish.
Sprinkle with the crushed crackers and bake for 15 minutes.
Once out of the oven top with crumbled bacon and green onion.

Charleston cheese dip mixed in glass bowl before baking

charleston cheese dip with crumbled ritz crackers on top

Serving suggestions

We usually serve this dip with Ritz or Townhouse crackers because we love that buttery taste but it is also delicious with corn chips, tortilla chips, pita chips, crusty bread, or even veggies!

FAQs

Where did this recipe come from?

Everywhere I look online gives credit for this recipe to Trisha Yearwood. She wrote in one of her cookbooks that she was visiting Charleston on a tour and ate a version of this dip at her hotel. It inspired her to recreate her own version of it at home.
I am from Charleston and it is a regional specialty like my Shrimp and Grits recipe, this particular version comes straight from a recipe an aunt gave me years ago.

Can I make this healthier/less caloric?

To make a lighter version of this classic Charleston recipe, use reduced-fat cheeses and mayonnaise and use turkey bacon instead of real bacon.

Can it be made ahead of time?

This recipe tastes best fresh from the oven but it’s easy to prep the cheese mixture ahead of time. Wait until just before baking to add the crackers so they don’t get soggy.

Can this dip be frozen?

I do not recommend freezing Charleston Cheese Dip as the texture won’t be the same after thawing.

charleston cheese dip in bowl with tortilla chips and green onion

If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy these other fantastic football ready appetizers!

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If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!