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This Cheesy Baked Garlic Dip has tons of creamy cheeses and roasted garlic – all the flavors of Garlic Bread in a delicious appetizer dip!
This Roasted Garlic Dip is perfect for game day parties, weekend get-togethers, and everything in between. Serve up some homemade Crostini for dipping, or your favorite crackers and veggies.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Baked Garlic Dip Recipe
- Easy to Make – A little cheese, a little flavor, and viola! You have an irresistible, creamy concoction worthy of topping your favorite chips, crackers or crostini.
- Garlicky Perfection – For this dip I wanted the garlic flavor to shine through, and the best way to really get a great garlic flavor is to use fresh garlic.
- Roasted Garlic – I took it a step further and roasted 4 heads of garlic to add to my garlic cheese dip. This gives the garlic a deeper, yet mild and slightly sweet garlic flavor. It’s amazing just on it’s own but in this Cheesy Garlic Bread Dip it’s perfection.
Ingredients
- Roasted Garlic – Roasting garlic is easy and it is so delicious! You can read my tips on how to roast garlic. This step takes just under an hour, so if you’re pressed for time you can use minced garlic – I’d go with about 6-8 cloves or 2 tablespoons. But you can absolutely roast your garlic ahead of time; it will last up to 2 weeks if properly stored in the fridge.
- Cheese – The main component of any good cheesy dip is, well, the cheese! I used cream cheese, fresh Mozzarella and fresh Parmesan. Any good melty cheese that you love will do as long as you’re grating it fresh off the block.
- Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Mayo – The golden trifecta of hot dips, these 3 combine to make an ultra creamy and smooth dip base.
- Cream Cheese – You want to use a full fat, brick style cream cheese.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Dip
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Prep garlic – Cut the top off of a head of garlic and place on some foil. Drizzle olive oil over the cut side, then wrap loosely in foil
Roast Garlic – Place the wrapped garlic on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 425℉ for about 50 minutes. Garlic should be very soft and easy to squeeze out of the peel.
Mix Base – Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and mayo in a medium mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer.
Add Cheese – Stir in Mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic salt and minced parsley.
Prep for Baking – Spread the dip into a 1-quart baking dish. You can top with extra cheese if you want.
Bake dip at 350℉ for about 20 minutes or unto golden and bubbly.
How to Serve
Garnish the top of the dip with fresh minced parsley or minced chives and serve with Clubhouse Crackers or toasted bread for dipping. You could also serve with raw veggies like carrot, celery or bell pepper sticks, pretzels or potato chips.
FAQs
Fresh garlic will always give you the best flavor, hands down. My second choice would be jarred garlic, and if you don’t have either of those, use a teaspoon or more of garlic powder.
It’s so easy! You cut the top off of a whole head of garlic, then set it in some foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap completely in the foil then roast in a 425℉ oven for about 45-50 minutes. I share a lot of tips and tons of info in my recipe for roasted garlic.
Helpful Tips
- Although I highly recommend full-fat cream cheese, you can also use a low-fat or no-fat style.
- Use a hand mixer to add air as you mix – it will make your dip nice and fluffy.
- If you are really pressed for time and want to throw it in the microwave, that works, too. Just keep in mind it tends to get a little looser than if you bake it.
- Add more garlic flavor with a ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Add a little kick with a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
More Cheesy Dips
- Jalapeno Popper Dip – like the classic snack, but way easier!
- Warm Crack Chicken Dip – Chicken+Bacon+Ranch+Cheese=YUM!
- Creamy Hot Corn Dip – Sweet and creamy, and perfect with corn chips.
- Hot Mexican Corn Dip – Just as good as that one☝🏼, but with a kick!
- Easy 3-Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip – A favorite for game day.
Garlic Bread Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
- 4 heads garlic roasted (follow directions here)
- Olive Oil
Garlic Dip
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh minced parsley plus some for garnish (or 1-2 tablespoon dried)
- Toasted bread or crackers for dipping
Instructions
Roast Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Slice the top off of each bulb of garlic, just enough to expose the garlic inside.
- Set a garlic bulb, cut side up, on a piece of foil, then drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the foil loosely around the garlic but completely sealed at the top.
- Place wrapped garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes. Garlic should be soft and squeezable. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before opening each foil packet. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze into a small bowl. Add to your dip, or cool completely to refrigerate.
- If saving to use later, place roasted garlic in an airtight container or jar and submerge in olive oil. Seal and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Garlic Dip
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium sized bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth. Stir in roasted garlic and garlic salt, then stir in cheeses and parsley.
- Pour into a small baking dish.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or edges are golden brown and cheeses are melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh minced parsley and serve with crackers or toasted bread for dipping.
Followed the recipe exactly as written and it is perfection, thank you!!
You are so welcome Gabi! Thanks for stopping by.
This recipe looks amazing! I was thinking I might make it for thanksgiving, but I know from prior experience my family doesn’t seem to like parsley much. Have you ever made this with basil instead or think it would be a good substitute? Thank you! And happy thanksgiving 🙂
Yes I think basil would work well. I would try using 1/2 teaspoon, but not more than a full teaspoon.
Hi there – do you think you could add this dip to a hollowed out cob loaf and serve it that way?
If you’re planning to bake it, that would be a great way to serve it!
Would it change the taste if I didn’t add the mayo or substituted something else for it? I absolutely hate mayo and the thought of putting half a cup sounds not great but I’m willing if I have to
Hi Sienna, Yes it will alter the taste a bit but just make up the amount with more sour cream and cream cheese. It should still taste delicious.
Can I use regular minced garlic instead of roasted??
You can, but the garlic won’t soften and will be much more pronounced in flavor. May try sauteeing it first if you don’t have the time to roast.
can i sub the sour cream for something else?
Hi Mel, You could swap for plain Greek Yogurt if you like.
I cant wait to try this. Looks delicious.
Hi Rhonda, would love to hear your feedback on this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.
4.5 wow this was just amazing with the perfect amount of garlic and cheese! My guest devoured the whole thing !! Next time I will put it on the smoker to cook !!
Nice! Love the feedback Kamelie, thanks for stopping by.
This is probably the best appetizer recipe I have ever come across. Everywhere I bring this people want the recipe. It is UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Thank you so much. We continuously make this and will for a long time to come.
You are so welcome Kim! Love the feedback! Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve been in search of a good garlic dip recipe ever since I enjoyed one at one of my favorite Restuarant’s. My family who also loves it said this one is pretty dang close and we all loved it just as much. Thank you for sharing. Interestingly the restaurant serves theirs with sliced apples along with bread. You wouldn’t believe how good this dip is with apples! Party in your mouth!
Apples?! I never would have thought to use apples but now I can’t wait to try it!
I’m back at it, making this yummy dip during covid-19 quarantine. Just wondering if you ever got the chance to try it with apples and if so, what you thought of it….
Welcome back! No I haven’t tried it with apples. I personally don’t know that I would like it with all the garlic.
For those of you wanting to make this in a crock pot, add all the ingredients EXCEPT for the shredded cheeses (cream cheese is fine to add) first. Then before serving add the shredded cheeses. I made the mistake of putting everything in at once and it came out oily. I’m almost certain waiting on the cheese will help.
Great tip, thanks!
Is it ok to save it and heat it up later ?
Yes, just prep the dip and don’t bake it. When you’re close to serving time, bake as directed. I would recommend not making more than 24 hours in advance.
It does also do good as leftovers. Just throw it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or even the microwave will do.
how much does this end up making in the end?
It fits in a small baking dish (quart size).
Can I make this without the mayo? It’s the one thing I forgot at the store!
Yes you could omit the mayo. If you have enough, just add a little more sour cream.
Miracle Whip or real mayo?
Hi Venita, I only use real mayo.
Do you think I could put this in a crockpot to take to a party?
Yes you could use a 2 quart crockpot on the warm setting.
Do you think it can be made in a crockpot? We do app day at work and this would be a hit, but we don’t have an oven.
How small is small baking dish? 2 cup? 4 cup? 8″ square?
An 8-inch baking dish or smaller. Mine was an oval that was about 8×5.
Thanks Kristin, looks like a tasty and easy appetizer to make for a super bowl party. Wishing you and your family an incredible New Year!
Thank you Kathy! Yes, this would be perfect for super bowl!