This creamy cheese dip comes together easily and quickly with eight ingredients and ten minutes. Use it as a dip for chips or soft pretzels, a pasta sauce for elbow macaroni or shells, or over baked potatoes or French fries.
However you use it, you will quickly learn how well it reheats and how versatile it is. This is not queso dip, which is delicious over chicken enchiladas and chicken soft tacos. Queso dip has a different texture and consistency since it is made with white American cheese. This cheese dip is made with authentic cheeses, such as cheddar and pepper jack, while white American cheese is a blend of various cheeses, liquid, and emulsifying agents.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, omit any added salt.
- Milk: Preferably whole milk
- Cheese: Great quality cheddar and pepper jack cheese
How To Make Cheese Dip
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking over medium heat until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack in several increments. Stir in the ground cayenne pepper and garlic powder.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- For added pizzaz, season to taste with Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- Use the leftovers to make easy mac and cheese. Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well, add several spoonfuls of the cheese sauce, and let it melt gently over the hot pasta.
- If the cheese dip thickens too much as it cools, when you reheat, add a little bit of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for short increments until warm.
Ways To Use Cheese Dip
- Potatoes: such as oven baked potatoes, fried potatoes, air fryer potato wedges, and loaded baked potatoes.
- Egg dishes: omelets, microwave scrambled eggs, breakfast bowls, and crockpot breakfast casserole
- Vegetables: air fried asparagus, roasted cauliflower, roasted onions, and roasted broccoli.
More Appetizer Recipes
Creamy Cheese Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder preferably wood-fired garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2-3 pinches salt
- red pepper flakes optional garnish
- minced jalapeno optional garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes whisking constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking over medium heat until thickened
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack in several increments. Stir in the ground cayenne pepper and garlic powder.
- If desired garnish with a little red pepper flakes or minced jalapeno.
Notes
- Season to taste with Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- Use the leftovers to make easy mac and cheese. Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta, add several spoonfuls of the cheese sauce, and let it melt gently over the hot pasta.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for short increments until warm.
Karissa
I liked how simple the ingredient list was!! Not to fancy with stuff I already had at home. The tip about using freshly shredded cheese made a difference too.
Lisa
Great cheese dip! We loved every drop. So delicious with chips and over omelettes and boiled pasta.
Melanie
You had me at cheese lol. We’re a family of cheese lovers so this worked really well. I loved that it had cayenne pepper for a lovely warm kick!
Barbie R
Easy cheesy and delicious. I love a cheese dip. And with a pretzel, I haven’t had that since being a kid!