Everything Bagel Dip

Apparently I'm a bit late to the party. Which party? The everything bagel seasoning one. Everyone has been raving about this stuff for months, and I finally caved and bought a jar of it. My main question was what was I going to use it on, since I'm not into the whole avocado toast fad and I didn't have a desperate need to spice up my other breakfast foods. Enter my sister and her need for dorm-friendly recipes for friends in college. This dip is only three ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, and everything bagel seasoning and can be whipped up by hand (but a mixer does make it easier). You know what party you won't be late to with this dip? Your Superbowl party, since this takes all of 5 minutes to make but will be the star of the snack table.

The main ingredient here is the cream cheese. You can't have a good bagel without cream cheese, and you can't have a good dip without it either. Since this is a bagel-inspired dip, the cream cheese is pretty much non-negotiable. I use a brick of plain cream cheese (go for the full fat stuff here... I promise it's worth it) and make sure to bring it to room temperature. If it's still cold, you'll end up with lots of little lumps, which you want to avoid if at all possible. I mix the cream cheese with some sour cream to help loosen it up and get a dippable, spreadable texture. 

Once the cream cheese and sour cream are nice and smooth, it's time to add the everything bagel seasoning. You could make your own, but that would involve buying dried garlic, dried onions, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flaky sea salt. I'd much rather buy the pre-mixed blend, plus it's not like making your own would cut out any preservatives. Side note: preservatives aren't typically a bad thing since they have to be approved by the FDA and it's not like we food scientists throw them in everything for funsies... they serve a real and important purpose and you shouldn't drive yourself crazy trying to avoid them. Soapbox aside, if you can find this seasoning at Trader Joe's or wherever else I say go for it since it makes your life so much easier.

Unfortunately, I think your Superbowl friends may judge you just a little if you go at this with a spoon, so you'll probably want to invest in something to dip with. The clear winner is bagel chips. This is everything bagel dip, after all. You can make them yourself by slicing up some bagels and toasting them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, or you can ask your local bagel place if they sell them pre-made. If bagels aren't your thing or you can't seem to find any, pretzel chips or pita chips would be pretty tasty too. If you're trying to be healthy, go with some baby carrots or celery sticks (or maybe find a salsa or something, since this is literally just cream cheese and sour cream). Of course, you also don't have to limit yourself with the occasion. The Superbowl may only happen once a year, but I'm hosting Bachelor watch parties every week, and you know this will be the main event.

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Cup Sour Cream

2 T Everything Bagel Seasoning

Bagel Chips, Pretzel Chips, etc. 

Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer or whisk for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat for another 2 minutes until combined. Stir in the seasoning and serve with bagel chips and other dippables.

Makes 2 Cups