Homemade Jalapeno Cheese Dip (Inspired by Fritos)
My cheddar jalapeno cheese dip is made from scratch with wholesome ingredients and inspired by Fritos. It’s creamy, cheesy, and mildly spiced: great for tortilla chips or soft pretzels! The best part is, you can whip it up in only 10 minutes.
My husband and I love enjoying this dip during football season. I hope you love it as much as we do! This recipe includes a video tutorial so you can make it alongside me, step-by-step!
This recipe is inspired by Fritos Jalapeno Cheddar dip. My recipe is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Fritos company in any way. This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
This cheese dip has found a special place in our home! Every time I make my soft sourdough pretzels or pretzel bites, we have to have this dip. It has such an amazing flavor!
During football season, I make it at least once a month. If we aren’t hungry for soft pretzels, we’ll get out the tortilla chips for dipping. It’s such an easy snack for Saturdays and Sundays during the fall!
Jalapeno Cheese Dip Recipe Inspiration
When I developed my sourdough pretzel recipe, my husband and I wanted something special for dipping them. I had already created a plain cheddar cheese dipping sauce, and we used warmed cream cheese, but we wanted something with spice.
So I thought of Fritos Jalapeno Cheddar Dip and decided to recreate it at home using wholesome ingredients and simple steps. It’s so much better for you too, not to mention the flavor!
Why You’ll Love My Jalapeno Cheese Dip
- Quick and Easy: It only takes 10 minutes to whip this dip up!
- Better Than Store-Bought: The flavor is so much better than any store-bought version!
- Wholesome Ingredients: Every ingredient is whole. You won’t find any additives or junk here!
- Made From Scratch: The flavor and texture are out of this world!
Tips to Prevent Jalapeno Hands
Any time you’re using jalapenos, you’ll want to be careful with how you handle the peppers. Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson quite a few times! When jalapenos touch the skin, they can cause a burning sensation. This can be mild or highly unpleasant (I’ve been there – haha!).
It’s caused by the capsaicin compound found in hot peppers. Maybe you have tough skin, but if you’re not willing to find out, here are a few ways to safely handle hot peppers:
- Use nontoxic kitchen gloves.
- Hold the stem and grate the jalapeno with a cheese grater. I like to freeze mine before doing this to help firm them up.
- Use a kitchen towel to protect your hand when cutting up the peppers.
Molly’s Tips for the Best Jalapeno Cheddar Sauce
- Dice the jalapeno into bite-sized chunks or grate it for a more intense flavor throughout.
- Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapenos before using them in this recipe.
- Shred your own cheese at home using a cheese block and a grater. It melts so much more easily!
- For an extra bit of tangy flavor, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
- butter: salted butter is best for this recipe
- all-purpose flour: this is a great base for a roux
- milk: I like to use whole milk but any milk will work (buttermilk is really good too)
- salt: I like to use sea salt but any will work
- shredded cheddar cheese: mild cheddar works best and shredding it at home
- diced jalapeños: you can finely dice a jalapeno or use a cheese grater to shred it
Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
How to Make Jalapeno Cheese Dip
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Melt butter over medium heat in a small-medium sized saucepan.
Once butter is melted, turn heat down to low and add flour. Whisking for 1 minute.
Add milk and whisk until combined.
Turn up heat to low-medium and add in shredded cheese, salt, and jalapeños (diced or shredded)
Whisk to combine until melted and jalapeños are cooked, about 5 minutes
Once combined, smooth, and thickened remove from heat and serve! Cheese will thicken more as it cools.
Video Tutorial
My Favorite Serving Ideas for Jalapeno Cheese Sauce
You can serve this cheese sauce for many occasions! It’s a favorite in our house during football season or when we’re snacky on the weekends. Here are a few ideas for serving:
- Serve with soft pretzels or tortilla chips for dipping.
- Set out for parties or gatherings in a slow cooker and set it to warm.
- Use this sauce to top nachos or tacos.
- Add it on your favorite sub or sandwich.
What to Dip in Jalapeno Cheese Dip
You can really dip any kind of food you’d like in jalapeno cheese dip. Here are a few fun ideas:
- tortilla chips
- soft pretzels
- pretzel bites
- hard pretzels
- celery
- carrots
- soft flour tortillas (warmed)
- sandwiches and subs
- tacos
How to Store and Freeze
I like using glass storage containers when storing leftover cheese dip. It prevents any funky plastic flavor from leaching into it.
Fridge: Store leftover cheese dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Freezer: Place cheese dip in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it.
How to Reheat Cheese Dip
The best way to reheat cheese dip is in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it’s warm to your liking. You can also place it in a small saucepan and warm over low-medium heat until the temperature you desire.
I recommend reheating either in the oven or in a pan to keep the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Use any kind you desire.
Yes, grating the jalapeños is a great idea! It’ll give you smaller pieces.
No, it’s got a mild flavor. You taste the jalapeños but you don’t get the heat.
Of course! Make it, let it cool, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy.
Yes, you can! Most cheeses will work wonderfully. Just steer clear of sharp cheddar; it doesn’t melt very well.
You’ll want to store it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. For more information on storage, please see the storage section above in this blog post.
Yes, you can! This dip has a mild flavor, but if you want to make it spicy, simply leave the seeds and membrane in the jalapeno when you dice it.
You can but it may make your cheese dip a little salty. Be sure to add the salt in my recipe last to ensure it’s not too much.
Soft pretzels, tortilla chips, tacos, nachos. They all go well with this dip!
I personally think mild cheddar goes best!
More Homemade Dips To Try
If you’re looking for more dips made from scratch, try a few of these:
- Cheese Sauce for Pretzels From Scratch
- Rotel Dip Recipe (from scratch without Velvetta)
- Buffalo Chicken Dip From Scratch (with Crockpot Chicken)
- American Flag Taco Dip (Made From Scratch)
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo of your muffins on social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Homemade Jalapeno Cheese Dip (Inspired by Fritos)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (best when shredded at home)
- 1/4 cup diced jalapeños (or shredded using a cheese grater)
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in a medium sized pan.
- Once butter is melted, turn heat down to low and add flour. Whisking for 1 minute.
- Add milk and whisk until combined.
- Turn up heat to low-medium and add in shredded cheese, salt, and jalapeños (diced or shredded)
- Whisk to combine until melted and jalapeños are cooked, about 5 minutes
- Once combined, smooth, and thickened remove from heat and serve! Cheese will thicken more as it cools.
Video
Yummy! Cheese dip is a total weakness of mine… and I’m so excited to try a healthier version of it! Thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome! You’re going to love it!
Oh my gosh! This looks so good!!! Something excited to try out this recipe. And it seems so easy which is even better. Thanks
Thank you so much!! It’s such an easy recipe!
Ooh this cheese dip looks awesome. I find cheese dips to be a little too heavy sometimes but when there is spice added, I can’t get enough.
Thank you so much! It’s so good!
This looks so good! I love a good cheese dip but I’ve never tried making my own. It’s about time I did!
Thank you so much! You’re going to love how easy it is to make!
Can your dips be canned for long term storage, and which process to use, water bath or pressure with time and/or time and pressure
Hey John, I’ve never tried canning my dips because of the dairy in them. I’m not sure if it would be safe for long term storage.