We Made The Pioneer Woman’s Million Dollar Dip—and Her Recipe Is Pure Gold
Updated: Jan. 10, 2024
We put Ree Drummond's recipe to the test, and The Pioneer Woman's famous "Million Dollar Dip" lives up to the hype!
We’re not quite sure what a million dollars tastes like, but according to Ree Drummond, her Pioneer Woman million dollar dip is as close as it gets.
Loaded with some of the best things in life, like bacon, cheddar cheese and cream cheese, it’s no surprise this dip has garnered a reputation as a crowd-pleasing party recipe. It’s high time that our kitchen put this million-dollar recipe to the test.
What is million-dollar dip?
“Million dollar” recipes are foods that are rich—hence the name! They often have indulgent ingredients like cream cheese, like you’ll see in million-dollar spaghetti; butter and evaporated milk, as in million-dollar fudge; or sweetened condensed milk, like in these millionaire bars and million-dollar pie.
Million-dollar dip in particular has cream cheese, mayonnaise, three kinds of cheese, bacon and more that makes each bite mouthwateringly decadent.
Pioneer Woman Million-Dollar Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Swiss
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 8 slices regular-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and finely chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced, green and white parts
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Buttery crackers, pretzels or raw veggies, for serving
Directions
Step 1: Toast the almonds
Toast the nuts over medium-low heat in a dry skillet, stirring often; about 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t walk away! Remove the almonds from the pan once golden and fragrant and let cool.
Step 2: Beat the cream cheese and mayo
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.
Step 3: Combine the cheeses
Add the three types of cheeses, stir, then fold in the bacon, toasted almonds, spices and green onions (reserving some for the garnish).
Step 4: Mix the ingredients
Stir together everything together until evenly blended, then transfer to a serving dish. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Step 5: Serve the dip
To serve, sprinkle with additional green onions. Then serve with buttery crackers, celery, salty pretzels and/or other fresh vegetables of your choice.
Million-Dollar Dip Variations
If a crowd-pleasing appetizer is your goal, the recipe is solid gold as written. However, if you want to adapt this recipe to your personal taste, here’s where to start:
- Give it some heat: Add some extra cayenne (even a dash of one of the best hot sauces would be nice) to kick it up a notch.
- Add more bacon: A little more bacon never hurts. Fold in an additional slice or two of crumbled bacon.
How to Store Million-Dollar Dip
Keep prepared million-dollar dip in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for three to four days.
Can you make million-dollar dip ahead of time?
Like many other dip recipes, this dip needs some time in the fridge before serving—so you can absolutely make it a day or two ahead of time. Just skip garnishing the top with the additional green onions until right before serving.
Million-Dollar Dip Tips
Can you use other kinds of cheese in million-dollar dip?
We think that the combination of cheddar, Swiss and blue cheese is the perfect combo of tang, sharpness and pungent perfection. For those wary of blue cheese, don’t be scared off: Its flavor is subtle and almost imperceptible. In the amount used here, its strong flavor doesn’t overpower. Rather, it complements the other ingredients, particularly the salty bacon and zippy onions.
If you’re still completely against blue cheese—despite our reassurances—replace it with Parmesan, feta or goat cheese. Those cheeses will still contribute the necessary tang that makes this dip worth a million bucks.
Does the cream cheese have to be softened to make million-dollar dip?
Even when beaten with a hand mixer, a block of cream cheese taken straight from the fridge will still have lumps. Make sure to soften the cream cheese by letting it sit at room temperature for a little bit before getting started with the million-dollar dip recipe. (By the way, this is a tip that applies to many other creamy dip recipes too!)
Originally Published: January 06, 2022
