This creamy, spicy, smoky, and oh so mouthwatering chipotle pimento cheese dip is pretty much perfection on a spiced saltine cracker. Forget store bought, this simple and whole food cheese dip will knock your socks off and takes almost no time to make. Your family and guests won’t be able to keep their hands out of this spiced-up version of the classic pimento cheese. Keep it gluten-free with gluten-free crackers, or try some fresh veggie sticks to add a little freshness to your appetizer spread!

Having lived in the south for most of my adult life, I’ve found a few favorite dishes along the way, and pimento cheese is one of them. I had never had it until my mother-in-law came to visit Scott and me after we were first married while he was stationed at Subbase Kings Bay in Georgia. It’s one of her favorite dishes and I fell in love with it too, I just wanted a little more heat! I know you will love this creamy, spicy, smoky, and oh so delicious cheese dip!

Why Whole Milk Cheese versus Low-Fat Cheese

As a functional nutritionist, I always recommend to my clients that they eat foods in their whole form, and this includes all dairy.  Anytime you remove a whole group of foods from your diet, like fats, your diet becomes nutrient deficient and overtime, you may begin to experience symptoms of a deficiency.

Whole milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and are a good source of carbohydrates, protein, and fat [1]. In general, I do not recommend eating dairy products that are low-fat or non-fat.  There are a few reasons for this:

• Many non-fat and low-fat products have replaced the fat that has been removed with fillers, thickeners, and sugar yielding a products that is not a whole food and potentially inflammatory.
• Dairy products often contains the fat soluble vitamins A, E, K and D…and did you know that in order for your body to absorb these fat soluble vitamins, you must have fat in your diet?  A low fat diet reduces the bile released by your gall bladder therefor reducing the absorption of your essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins.
• Taste.  Yes, taste.  Fat makes food taste good and creates satiety from our meals.  If you think about your macros in regards to a fire, the carbohydrates are like the kindling for the fire, they burn fast and are quickly used up.  The fats in your diet are like the fire log, it burns at a more steady rate for a longer period of time.

So grab some creamy whole milk cheese and let’s get cooking!

Chipotle Pimento Cheese Ingredients

Makes 4 cups

12 ounces Whole Milk Sharp Cheddar Cheese*, shredded

4 ounces Full Fat Cream Cheese or Mascarpone, softened

¼ cup No Sugar Mayonnaise

1/2 cup Fire Roasted Red Peppers, finely chopped

1-2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, diced

Fine Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

*Pimento cheese is primarily made with cheddar cheese, but feel free to add a little of your favorite in to jazz it up to your liking like I did, I added some chipotle Colby to mine!

How to Make Chipotle Pimento Cheese

1. Shred the cheese and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine the mascarpone or cream cheese, mayonnaise, diced roasted peppers, and chipotle peppers and mix with a spatula to combine.

3.  Add the shredded cheese and fold until evenly combined.

4. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

5.  Serve with spiced saltine crackers, veggies, or your favorite dipper!

Enjoy!

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FAQs

Q: What should I add to make my pimento cheese creamier?

A: You can add some more mayonnaise or more mascarpone cheese to make the cheese dip creamier.

Q: How long will pimento cheese last?

A: Store pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a week.

Q: How do I make the pimento cheese spicer?

A: Add more chipotle peppers, some of the adobo sauce, or even some ground chipotle powder or cayenne pepper.

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