Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese Dip

Every time I used to take this garlicky, cheesy Cream Cheese Dip to a party, it would disappear instantly. So now, I make a double-batch! It’s smooth, creamy, cheesy, and addictively delicious.

If you love cheese, and especially if you love Alfredo sauce, you’re going to love this cream cheese dip recipe. The cream cheese base makes it very quick and easy to prepare, and the garlic and Parmesan cheese bring those flavors that we all love so much. It’s perfect for dipping vegetables, fresh bread, or crackers.

Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.

What Is A Cream Cheese Dip?

A cream cheese dip is any dip that has cream cheese as one of its main ingredients. The reason that cream cheese is used so often in dips is that it’s so smooth and creamy, with that rich, but slightly tangy, flavor.

The other reason that cream cheese is so often used in dips is that it plays well with others. That is, for a cold dip, if you bring the cream cheese to room temperature by letting it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, it mixes easily with other ingredients. And for a hot dip, you can heat the cream cheese and it melts into almost like a sauce, which you can then make thicker by adding cheese, as we’ve done for the dip below.

I’m truly obsessed with cream cheese dips. If you put one in front of me, I can’t stop eating it. The Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese Dip recipe that I’m telling you about today is definitely one of those. Some of my other favorites are: this Classic Taco Dip, this Nacho Dip, and this elegant and delicious Salmon Dip.

How To Make Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese Dip

This recipe is very similar to my Easiest Alfredo Sauce and Garlic Parmesan Sauce, but we’re making it thicker because we want it the perfect consistency for dipping.

We start by melting butter, cream cheese, and garlic together in a pot. The cream cheese brings a lot of rich flavor quickly. The result is a thick sauce at this point. Then you melt in the shredded Parmesan cheese and that thickens it up a lot more.

Finally, you drizzle in some milk to get it to just the right consistency, and there’s some salt and pepper in there too. Let it sit off the heat a few minutes to thicken a bit more, then it’s ready to enjoy. So easy!

Microwave Cream Cheese Dip

This cheesy dip is already very easy to make but you can speed it up even more by using the microwave instead of the stovetop. Use the same ingredient amounts as in the stovetop recipe below, but do the following.

1. To a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl add the butter, cream cheese, and garlic. Put in the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and the milk.
3. Put into the microwave and heat on high power for 1 minute. Stir. Then continue to heat for 1 minute at a time, stirring between intervals, until the sauce is not stringy and has a smooth texture, about 2-4 more minutes.

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Dip

It’s also super-convenient to make this dip in the slow cooker, and then you can serve it straight from the slow cooker as well. Use the same ingredient amounts as in the stovetop recipe below, but do the following.

1. To a small (3 quart) slow cooker, add the butter, cream cheese, garlic, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and milk.
2. Cover and cook on high, stirring every 15 minutes, until melted and hot, about 1 hour.
3. Switch to Keep Warm to serve. Stir every 15 minutes or so.

Reheating Cream Cheese Dip

This dip can actually be served cold or at room temperature. But it’s best warm – ooey and gooey, you know? So, if you make it ahead and want to heat it up to serve, you have a few options.

1. Heat it in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until hot.
2. Heat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until hot.
3. Put it into a small slow cooker set to low. Stir every 10 minutes until it’s hot, then switch it to Keep Warm.

Serving Garlic Parmesan Dip

The flavors of this dip were inspired by Alfredo sauce. You see, when we go to Olive Garden, we always ask for some Alfredo on the side to dip the breadsticks in. That’s what I was going for here in terms of flavor. So the dip is really amazing as a dip for bread. But it’s also a delicious dip for crackers, and for veggies (crudités) like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. You can also spread it on bread or toasted crostini and then add toppings (like sautéed mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, or thin slices of prosciutto, for a fantastic appetizer.

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