This Creamy Dill Pickle Dip is a very accurate replica of the Canadian Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pickle Dip! The most difficult part is waiting for it to chill!
Originally posted July 27, 2017. Updated 1/26/2023
* Update: It’s since been released 🙂
If you're new here, the basics: It's a cookbook that is written from the point of view of a Canadian no longer living in Canada.
Not only does it have great recipes for all of the well known, national favourites... it covers many regional specialties, as well as accurate homemade versions of many of the foods that you can't buy outside of Canada!
It was a lot of fun to develop, and I'm so proud of it!
Anyway, to mark the occasion, I'm going to share one of the recipes that was MOST requested when I polled other expats for commercial foodstuffs that they miss.
You see, while many people outside of Canada know about dill pickle chips, few know about the Philadelphia cream cheese brand of dips - including the one that this easy dill pickle dip recipe replicates.
Dill Pickle Cream Cheese Dip
This line of cream cheese dips back home is very popular, but not really seen as a Canadian thing... until you leave.
Amazingly enough, while the brand that produces them - Philadelphia - is widely available in the US, these delicious dips are not carried anywhere but in Canada.
For "More Than Poutine", I developed VERY accurate replica recipes for all 6 flavours of this line - all of which are very quick and easy to make! Gluten-free, too!
The look and texture are bang-on, as-is the flavour... so long as you use the right pickles - more on that in a minute.
This pickle dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for game day, and is sure to be loved by the pickle lovers on the guest list at your next potluck.
You don’t need to be a dill pickle lover to enjoy this tangy dip, though. It’s a great flavored creamy dip in its own right!
The cream cheese base smooths the sourness of the pickle flavor, making this a delicious appetizer that’s sure to be loved by most!
... but yeah, it was definitely one of my favorite appetizers to bring to Canadian expat gatherings, while I was still living in the USA!
Anyway, let’s look at this easy dip recipe...
Important Note
The source material is VERY thick. I tend to thin it out with a bit of milk or sour cream, when I buy it - especially when using chips. (Veggies hold up better!)
This dip is accurate to the source, so long as you cook it til it's thick. If you find it too thick, you can also thin it out - but wait til it's fully chilled, before deciding!
Ingredients
While there are many pickle dip recipes out there with fabulous ingredients that I would normally use in a tasty dip recipe like this - Dijon mustard, green onions, green onions, fresh herbs - especially dill weed - this recipe is specifically replicating a retail product.
So, the ingredient list may seem pretty basic, but it’s all you need for this very specific style of dill pickle dip!
I have a few notes for you on some of those ingredients:
Dill Pickles
You need ¾ cup of finely chopped pickles - I find that’s usually about 3 whole pickles, more if using baby dill pickles - as well as come of the pickle brine / pickle juice.
The type of pickle you use will affect the overall taste in the end, so for maximum accuracy, go for a Kosher Dill or Garlic Dill pickle.
You may find yourself needing to add a little onion powder, and/or ½-1 teaspoon garlic powder, if your pickles aren’t garlicky enough.
If you're not familiar with the source material, feel free to use whatever type of pickle you love to eat. Spicy pickles could be fun!
The big thing to keep in mind is that you’re going to want to cut them VERY fine if you’re going for accuracy - you may want to chop them up, then blitz them in a mini food processor.
As pictured, I didn’t chop them QUITE small enough for accuracy - I wanted a bit more texture, as the accurate dip consistency doesn’t have much texture, and makes for boring photos.
See the very end of this post for the original photos from my book, which were accurate to the retail product’s texture!
Milk
When I developed this recipe, I used 2% milk - sometimes whole milk. Either one will be very accurate to the original, as the creaminess comes more from the cream cheese.
This time around, I used unsweetened almond milk, as that’s what I have on hand these days. Worked great!
Everything Else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Cream Cheese (Softened!)
Corn Starch
Salt
... I just don’t have anything to add, there. Pretty straightforward!
Dippers
Some dips are clearly chip dips, and other dips are clearly better as a veggie dip.
This one falls right in the middle.
It’s a great dipper for things like potato chips - you’ll want sturdy chips, it’s VERY thick - flour tortillas, pretzels, and pita chips.
However, it’s also a good option to serve with veggies.
I usually serve it with baby carrots, slices of red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, some mushroom caps, and an assortment of green veggies :Cucumbers, broccoli, celery, etc.
How to Make Dill Pickle Dip
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the visual walk through with some additional info and tips.
This recipe comes together very quickly, so I recommend having all of your ingredients measured, prepped, and ready to go before you start cooking it!
In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, pickle brine, and corn starch.
Add chopped pickles and salt to the cream cheese mixture, stir to combine.
Note: it will thicken a bit more after chilling, also. Don’t expect it to get to the thickness of the source material on the stove!
Remove from heat, transfer to a heat safe small mixing bowl.
Once you’re ready to serve it, give it another good stir, and transfer to your dip bowl or serving dish.
Serve with chips or veggies.
Leftover Dip
Leftover dip can be transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to a week or so ... probably more.
More Canadian Comfort Food!
Whether you’re a Canadian in the US or not, we could all use some comfort food these days. Here are some Canadian Favourites!
Back Bacon / Canadian Bacon
Beep
Canadian Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
Clodhoppers
Confetti Bars
Doughnut Holes - Timbits!
French Canadian Pea Soup
Halifax Meat Paste Egg Rolls
Homemade Deep N Delicious Cake
Homemade Wunderbars
How to Make Peameal Bacon and Back Bacon
Maple Butter Tarts
Montreal Bagels
Persians Recipe
Poutine, My Way!
Puffed Wheat Squares
Replica Swiss Chalet Sauce
Tiger Tail Ice Cream
Looking for even more Canadian recipes? Check out our full Canadian Recipes list!
This recipe is one of many fantastic Canadian recipes in my cookbook, "More Than Poutine: Favourite Foods from my Home and Native Land”.
"More than Poutine" is a Canadian cookbook like no other - written by a Canadian living away, it includes both traditional home cooking recipes, as well as accurate homemade versions of many of the snacks, sauces, convenience foods, and other food items that are hard to come by outside of Canada!
Order your copy here on this site, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller!
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Dill Pickle Dip
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Milk
- ¼ Cup Pickle Brine
- 2 teaspoon Corn Starch
- 8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
- ¾ Cup Finely Chopped Dill Pickles
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, pickle brine, and corn starch.
- Add cream cheese, carefully whisk until smooth. Add chopped pickles and salt, stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat, cool to room temperature before covering and chilling until cold.
- Serve with chips or veggies.
Notes
Nutrition
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Older Photos
We recently re-shot this recipe (after a decade!), so here are the old photos for posterity... and to avoid breaking any old links 🙂
Shauna
Yum! I can't wait to try this at our BBQ next week!
Janelle
This was a big hit at our New Years Eve party! The texture is spot on. I did add 1 tsp of Garlic Salt and this made it taste exactly like the Philly Dip.
Thank you for creating and sharing this recipe!