​Recipes for Christmas party dips

Yes, we know that the holiday season is a few weeks off yet, but this is the perfect time to start planning those parties and festive catering, especially if you realise you need to stock up on kitchen and serving essentials before the Christmas season!

Nothing says 'Christmas party' like delicious dips and the good news is that you don't have to rely on supermarket versions. In fact, most dips are extremely easy to make with a little preparation and homemade options tend to taste better, be more nutritious and cost less than their ready-made alternatives.

So what will inspire you this year? There are plenty of dips that will suit all food requirements, including gluten-free and vegan, so that everyone is happy. And they work beautifully for all occasions over Christmas, from parties with nibbles to evening suppers with toasted sourdough and buffet treats. Here are some of our favourite party dip recipes and ideas to spark inspiration.

Stocking up on the supplies you need

Glass dip jars are perfect for storing and serving your festive dips, and we have a wide range of dip jars for sale at Wares of Knutsford. In fact, we have stocked up on glass dip jars because our customers always stock up every year!

Other storecupboard ingredients also make it easy to whizz up Christmas dips in an instant; perfect if you have unexpected guests. Stock up on:

Chargrilled artichokes in a jar or tin
Sundried tomatoes - those in jars and in a paste
Roasted and marinated peppers
Anchovies
Olives
Tinned fish

Tips for getting the most from your Christmas dips

Most storecupboard ingredients come already marinated in oil, so don't throw this away. Save it and make use of it in your dip. If you add a peeled, whole garlic clove to your oil it will provide a rapid oil infusion for drizzling over garlic bread or pasta too.

Artichoke and lemon dip with thyme

Here's a favourite based on an American potluck favourite. Take one jar of chargrilled artichokes and two cloves of peeled garlic. Add a cup of mayonnaise and half a cup of Greek yoghurt. Add 50g of fresh parmesan cheese - grated - and a sprig or two of lemon thyme. Simply blend everything together and serve with chunks of a tear-'n-share bread. This delicious dip works well warmed or cold. Just add some torn mozzarella and extra herbs if you wish to warm it through.

Mushroom and hot tuna mayonnaise dip

Heat up a little olive oil in a pan and add a finely chopped small red onion before gently cooking for 10 minutes. Add a cup of mushrooms, and a tin of tuna, before seasoning everything well. Remove the pan from the heat, add a cup of mayonnaise and serve the dip chunky, with some fresh parsley sprinkled on top. This dip is wonderful with vegetable crudités.

Melted camembert

This could be the easiest dip ever! Simply stud camembert with garlic, add a little honey, butter, balsamic vinegar and seasoning, and gently roast it in the oven, using a suitable roasting dish. Around 45 minutes at 200c should do the trick. You'll know it's ready when the camembert is gooey like a sauce. Serve it with slices of French baguette or olive bread for a deliciously decadent dip which also doubles up as a meal.

Cranberry chutney and cheesy spread

Make use of seasonal cranberries with this fun dip which also doubles up as the perfect spread for crostini or crackers. Simply combine a pack of butter and a pack of cream cheese into a bowl, along with c. 100g of crumbled feta cheese and a teaspoon of curry powder. Use a blender to beat the mix until it is well combined. Place it in one of your glass dip jars and then top it with plenty of cranberry chutney, chopped pecans, sliced mild onions and shredded coconut. This is a real crowd pleaser and very easy to make.

A sweet fruit and caramel dip

This decadent dip is perfect for sweet treats. Make a caramel sauce by placing 250g of caster sugar into a heavy pan, stirring in 4 tbsp of water, and then gently stirring over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. At this point, increase the heat and let the mix bubble for five minutes until it forms a caramel, then take it off the heat. Gently stir in a pot of double cream and 50g of butter for an unctuous sauce. To this, add some chopped pecans and a teaspoon of rum flavouring for a super Christmas treat that works brilliantly with fruit kebabs or even mini chocolate brownies.

Stock up today

Find a fantastic range of glass dip jars and other glass jars for your Christmas cooking and entertaining at Wares of Knutsford today, with fantastic prices, fast delivery times, an ever-updating product range and the finest customer service.