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Cream cheese and Olives is a retro recipe that folks LOVE! Cool cream cheese, mixed with chopped olives makes a savory dip with fresh veggies or a delectable spread for thinly sliced bread. One taste of this classic recipe and you’ll be hooked.
Growing up in a southern family there was always homemade pimento cheese in the fridge. About every other week or so, this deliciously cool and refreshing dip would show up. The best cream cheese and olives EVER came from My Aunt Geraldine. Her spread was smooth, creamy with the olives chopped to just the perfect size. Sometimes she served it with crunchy celery sticks, other times she slathered it on white, crustless bread cut into little triangles.
This recipe comes together in no time with just a few ingredients. I’m sharing my version of the original cream cheese and olives but there are great ways to give it a modern twist. Starting with the basic recipe, you could add chopped pecans, black olives, blue cheese or fresh herbs. It’s good no matter how you make it, so, get creative then grab some crunchy veggies and you’ve got a great appetizer in minutes. Sometimes, going old school is just what you need…
People Often Ask…
Yes, absolutely! This dip is best served cold or chilled so you can totally make it ahead of time and then store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
More Recipes To Try…
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz block of cream cheese – room temperature
- ½ cup green olives with pimento – chopped
- 2 tablespoons brine/juice from green olive jar
- ¼ teaspoon (or more) Texas Pete or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Drain green olives with pimentos, saving juice then coarsely chop.
- In a food processor or blender, add cream cheese, brine and hot sauce and blend until smooth.
- Fold in chopped olives & pimentos.
- Taste for seasoning.
- Serve with celery sticks or as a sandwich.
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I love cream cheese and olives so this is perfection! I make something similar- cream cheese, minced black olives, green onions and hot sauce blended together. Then I spread it on flour tortilla, roll up and cut into bite size appetizers. They disappear very quickly at parties!
Hey there Tammy!
Thank you so much for your support and for sharing your twist on this recipe, I definitely need to give that a try! If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese Appetizer, it’s super simple to prepare and great for holiday entertaining. Let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
OMG , I wonder if your Aunt Geraldine is the same Geraldine I worked with years ago. I have been looking for this recipe since I went to her Christmas Party and Wow I fell in Love with it. I remember I ment to ask Gerry for the recipe but never got a chance to. She had foot surgery then soon retired after that. Such a sweet Lady. Either way this will now been know as Gerry’s spread in my cook book.
I have never seen this recipe but have been making it for 60 years and eating longer than that. It was the traveling sandwich my mother made for the 10 hour trip from Chicago to Wisconsin because it wouldn’t spoil. No hot sauce for us but wonderful eating and memories. Thank you.
This is so good with chopped pecans added to the recipe. That's how I grew up making and eating it. It's great with celery, as shown, and as a tea sandwich filling. Thank you, Donya!
Kimberly
My mom used to make this. I was just thinking about it the other day. I will have to try it since I don't have her recipe. Thanks for posting it.
My friend and I used to make a variation of this with grated sharp cheddar cheese, green pimento stuffed olives and mayonnaise to taste. She made it for every football game and people loved it. I will have to try your version. It's looks and sounds delicious.
I made it and it was AWESOME. I had to use Frank's hot sauce because I didn't have Texas Pete but it was still good. This is something I will definitely make again!!
Love it! I am so glad you like it.
xo ~ D.
Oh yummy and so easy to make! Thanks Donya! came over Spatulas on Parade's party to visit you and your delicious dip!
Lizy@http://justdipitinchocolate.blogspot.com/
Thanks Lizeth! Hope you'll visit on Facebook and hang out with me! Have a great week.
Beautiful photo and so easy. Thanks for linking up!
Dawn
Spatulas On Parade
Thanks Dawn! Great party…have a wonderful week.
Simple and yummy – that's a perfect combo! Looks so good! Saw you at feeding Big and had to stop over to invite you to Super Sunday at Who needs a Cape! We're live right now and would love to have you! http://whoneedsacape.com/2013/07/super-sunday-party-5/
Thanks Heather for your kind words and the invite. I stopped by and shared a post. Stop by to see me on Facebook and Pinterest to hang out. Have a wonderful week.
xo~Donya
I am not a huge celery fan but I could eat the heck out of some celery with this on it! That sounds delicious and I may have to make it for the 4th!!
Thank Evie! Just pick a veggie and dip right in – they all taste good with cream cheese and olive. Oh, don't forget to make yourself a little sam-wich for good measure.
xo~Donya