Baked Chili Cheese Dip

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A three-layer party dip built the way the best chili parlors do it: a smooth slab of cream cheese on the bottom, a thin, brick-red beef chili scented with cinnamon and allspice in the middle, and a blanket of sharp cheddar on top. Twenty minutes in a hot oven and it comes out bubbling at the edges with a browned, craggy cheese lid. Scoop it with sturdy corn chips while it's still molten.

Ingredients

• 16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (two 8-oz blocks)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup water or low-sodium beef broth
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 10 oz sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions
• 2 tbsp pickled jalapeño slices, chopped (optional)
• 1 large bag corn chips or tortilla chips, for scooping

• 1 9-inch pie plate, 8-inch square baking dish, or 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon into small crumbles, then cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to get some browning. Stir and continue cooking until no pink remains, 4 to 5 minutes more.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute — the spices should smell toasty and the paste should darken slightly. This step is what keeps the cinnamon warm rather than dusty.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce, water or broth, Worcestershire, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pan to lift any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, at a lazy bubble for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick enough to mound on a spoon but still glossy — not dry. Taste and adjust salt. Let it cool for 5 minutes off the heat.
5. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the garlic powder and salt using a spatula or hand mixer until completely smooth and spreadable, about 1 minute.
6. Spread the cream cheese in an even layer across the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate, 8-inch square baking dish, or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, pushing it all the way to the edges.
7. Spoon the warm chili over the cream cheese in an even layer — don't stir the two together. You want distinct strata. Scatter the cheddar evenly over the top, all the way to the rim.
8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, the chili is bubbling around the perimeter, and the top is spotted with golden brown. For a darker crust, run it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
9. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes — it comes out of the oven lava-hot and will set slightly. Scatter with scallions and pickled jalapeños and serve straight from the dish with plenty of sturdy corn chips.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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