Easy Million Dollar Dip Recipe (Cream Cheese, Bacon, & Cheddar)

This million dollar dip earns its name from just how rich and crave-worthy it tastes, even though it comes together with only a handful of ingredients. A creamy base of cream cheese and sour cream gets loaded with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh green onions for a dip that's equal parts tangy, salty, and savory. It's a cold dip, so there's no oven involved, just a quick mix and a short chill in the fridge before serving. Whether you're setting it out for a holiday gathering, a potluck, or a weekend get-together, this dip disappears fast every single time.

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What is Million Dollar Dip?

This dip traces its roots back to Dallas, Texas, and a woman named Helen Corbitt. In the 1950's, Corbitt served as the Director of Food Services at Neiman Marcus, overseeing the menu at the department store's famous Zodiac Room. It was there that she created the original Neiman Marcus dip, a rich, cheesy appetizer loaded with spices and bold flavor in every bite.

This dip quickly became a favorite among Neiman Marcus guests, and it wasn't long before word spread beyond Texas. People started calling it Million Dollar Dip because it tasted like a million bucks, and the name stuck. Decades later, the dip is still a party staple, though home cooks like me have put our own spin on Corbitt's original recipe which featured mayonnaise and slivered almonds.

Why this is the best Easy Million Dollar Dip recipe

It's quick and easy. Million Dollar Dip comes together in just a few minutes with no complicated steps or special cooking techniques. Mix everything together, chill it until you're ready to serve, and you're done.

Million Dollar Dip is loaded with flavor. Creamy sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, fresh green onions, and crunchy almonds give this dip a little bit of everything. Every scoop is creamy, cheesy, salty, smoky, and crunchy.

Million Dollar Dip is great for parties and game day. This easy cold dip is simple to make ahead and easy to set out with crackers, pretzels, or vegetable sticks. It's a great choice for football parties, holiday gatherings, potlucks, and casual get-togethers.

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Million Dollar Dip uses simple ingredients. You don't need anything fancy to make this dip. All the ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store, and you may already have several of them in your refrigerator or pantry.

This creamy dip is easy to make ahead. Million Dollar Dip will taste even better after it has had some time to chill, which makes it especially convenient when you're entertaining. Mix it up the day before, cover it, and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to serve.

What you'll need to make the best Million Dollar Dip Recipe

Equipment

• Electric mixer - You can also mix it by hand if you need to. Cream cheese is tough to get really smooth without a mixer, but it can be done.
• 1-quart baking dish - Any small serving dish will be fine.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Cream cheese - You should use full fat cream cheese for the best flavor. This needs to be room temperature. Leave it out on the counter for a few hours before you need to make the dip.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt - We are using sour cream rather than mayonnaise in this recipe. I know some recipes do prefer mayo, but I personally prefer the rich creaminess and the tanginess of sour cream.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese - You can grate this fresh or buy a bag at the store. I personally almost always buy a bag of pre-shredded cheese.
• Crumbled bacon - This is the equivalent of 12 strips or 12 ounces before cooking, but if you have a whole pound and want to use it, feel free. Save some for sprinkling on top.
• Green onions - chopped
• Garlic powder - This is the equivalent of 3-4 fresh cloves if you prefer fresh.

How to make easy Million Dollar Dip Recipe

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, green onions, and garlic powder.
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2. Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
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3. Add to a serving bowl or baking dish,
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   and top with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions
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Cook's Tips for the best Million Dollar Dip

Million Dollar Dip can be partially made ahead. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, and half the bacon a day or two in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then stir in the green onions and remaining bacon just before serving for the best texture and color.

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Substitutions & variations

As mentioned above, some Million Dollar Dip recipes use mayonnaise and not sour cream. If you want to, you can replace the sour cream in this recipe with mayo.

You can add a teaspoon of onion powder and/or Italian seasoning when you're mixing the dip.

You can use mild, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese depending on how strong you want the cheese flavor to be. Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, Swiss, or even blue cheese would also work if you want to change things up.

For a medium heat, add finely diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a few dashes of hot sauce. Pepper Jack cheese is another easy way to give the dip a little kick without changing the texture.

You can add pecans, walnuts, or almonds for extra crunch. The original 1950s dip included slivered almonds.

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Regular bacon or turkey bacon both work well in this popular classic dip. You can cook and crumble your own bacon or use good-quality precooked bacon when you need to save time.

If you like a stronger onion flavor, add extra green onions and some chives. For something a little milder, use fewer green onions or just the green portions.

Serve Million Dollar Dip with your favorite crackers, tortilla chips, pretzels, pita chips, toasted baguette slices, or raw vegetables like celery sticks, carrot sticks, mini pepper halves, or cucumber slices.

Storage of leftover Million Dollar Dip

To store leftovers, cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Naturally, you will want to store buttery crackers, chips, or raw veggies separately from the dip.

Million Dollar Dip has the best texture within the first 2-3 days. The bacon stays crispiest early on, though the dip itself keeps well past that.

Do not freeze. Cream cheese and sour cream based dips tend to separate and turn grainy after freezing and thawing.

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Check out more delicious cold dip recipes

• Fall Leaf Tortilla Chips: A Colorful Homemade Snack for Your Next Fall Party
• Italian Hoagie Dip
• Fried Pickle Dip
• Cream Cheese Veggie Dip
• Spicy Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Dip
• Cowboy Caviar
• Whipped Feta Dip with Olives
• Creamy Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

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