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• 16oz Philadelphia cream cheese frosting (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and quartered (reserve about 1/2 cup for topping)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (to add a hint of tang and brighten the flavors)
1. Prepare cherries: Pit and halve washed cherries
o if using a food processor, briefly pulse them in a food processor or blender until mostly pureed with some small chunks remaining. Set aside.
o Otherwise dice the cherries and use a fork to mash the cherries slightly
o It's important to retains as much juice as possible here for the cherries!
2. Mix into the Cream Cheese Frosting:
o In a large mixing bowl with the frosting, gently fold in the cherries and the juice from the cherries
3. Chill:
o Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
o Top or mix in more quartered cherries for a bite of the fresh cherries throughout.
o Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the dip to firm up slightly **The longer it chills, the firmer it will become**
4. Serve:
o Serve chilled with almond or lemon pizzelle
Tips and Variations:
• Cherry Pie Filling Shortcut: If fresh cherries aren't available or you're short on time, you can substitute 1/2 to 1 cup of canned cherry pie filling (or homemade cherry pie filling) for the fresh cherries. You'd still want to use the fresh cherries for garnish.
• Almond Extract: A tiny touch (1/4 teaspoon) of almond extract can complement the cherry flavor beautifully.
• Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle with melted chocolate or a chocolate syrup before serving for an extra decadent touch.
• Other dippers: It's perfect for serving with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, or additional fresh fruit.