jelly, the flavor profile is similar and the color change can be fun for holidays.
You can also gently warm only the pepper jelly until it’s just pourable (not hot), which creates a glossy, almost sauce-like finish over the cream cheese. If you’d like to stretch the dip for a larger crowd, place two blocks of cream cheese side by side and double the jelly, keeping the same simple three-ingredient formula. For a slightly fancier look while still honoring the original concept, you can use a narrow knife to score a shallow crosshatch pattern on the top of the cream cheese block before adding the jelly; the jelly settles into the lines and creates a textured surface that photographs nicely on a glass platter.
