I thought I had perfected butter tart dip with just butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Then, one lazy holiday afternoon, I decided to experiment. What if I added the creamy tang of cream cheese and the lush sweetness of powdered sugar? The result was nothing short of revelation. As I blended everything in my sunlit kitchen, the smell transformed from simple caramel to a rich, complex, bakery-worthy aroma. The texture became impossibly smooth, like the filling of the best butter tart you’ve ever had, but perfectly dippable. This version is now my go-to—a decadent, crowd-pleasing masterpiece that feels both indulgent and incredibly special.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional, for extra flavor)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Let’s break down this dream team of ingredients. The butter and cream cheese must both be genuinely softened—I leave them on the counter for a good two hours. I’ve tried to rush this with the microwave, and it creates a lumpy, uneven texture you can’t come back from. The brown sugar needs to be packed with conviction; press it firmly into your measuring cup for that deep molasses flavor. The powdered sugar is the new star here, giving the dip a stable, lush body. Sift it if it’s lumpy! That heavy cream is not optional; it’s what brings everything together into a silken consistency. The maple syrup is my personal secret whisper—just a teaspoon amplifies all the warm, cozy notes.
Equipment Needed
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sifter or fine mesh strainer (for powdered sugar)
You will absolutely need an electric mixer for this version. With the cream cheese in the mix, hand-whisking is a fast track to a sore arm and an inconsistent texture. My stand mixer is my hero here, but hand beaters work perfectly. The sifter is a tool I now swear by for this recipe. There’s nothing worse than biting into a creamy dip and hitting a pocket of undissolved powdered sugar lump. Taking 30 seconds to sift it makes the final texture impeccably smooth. Your trusty rubber spatula is essential for scraping the bowl thoroughly—cream cheese loves to hide un-mixed in the bottom.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by ensuring your butter and cream cheese are at the perfect room temperature. They should yield easily to a gentle press but still hold their shape. In your large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed for a full 3 minutes. This first step is crucial—you want them to be completely homogenous, pale, and fluffy. I learned the hard way that under-beating here leaves little specks of cream cheese throughout, which affects the final smoothness. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly with your spatula once during this process.
Now, add the firmly packed brown sugar. Beat on medium-high for another 2 minutes. You’ll see the color deepen beautifully. Here’s my key timing tip: add the vanilla extract and the optional maple syrup now, before the powdered sugar. Beating them in with the brown sugar base helps distribute the flavor more evenly. Scrape the bowl again. It should smell incredible already. Turn your mixer to its lowest speed. Gradually add your sifted powdered sugar, about a half cup at a time, letting each incorporate to avoid a sweet cloud explosion all over your kitchen.(See the next page below to continue…)