If you are a sucker for a hot bowl of classic French Onion Soup- you're going to LOVE this Hot & Cheesy French Onion Soup Dip (from Scratch)! A warm and creamy appetizer best served with crusty bread- this baked onion dip gets its flavor from rich and flavorful caramelized onions, tangy cheddar and a touch of thyme. Put this out at your next party or family get together, and watch it disappear!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Easy, cheesy, and dangerously delicious warm French Onion Soup Dip
This hot and creamy onion dip is flavored with caramelized onion, fresh (or dry) herbs and plenty of gooey cheese for. a decadent and unforgettable dip that's great for just about any party- from football season to Holiday get togethers and cocktail parties. Serve it with crostini crackers or crunchy veggies and watch it disappear!
This creamy dip has all the rich and delicious onion flavor of a warm bowl of French Onion Soup, in a crave-able, cheesy dip that's perfect for sharing!
This easy recipe for homemade french onion dip uses no french onion soup mix, for a flavorful and fresh dip made 100% from scratch! Way better than any store-bought dip, with so much flavor!
How I like to caramelize onions
While classically trained chefs my poo-poo my method, I feel it is easy, accessible, and fool-proof. Sure... I "cheat" by adding a little sugar. I can live with that!
To make the onions - start with a hot pan of butter or oil (we're going all butter for this decadent dish). Next add the sliced onions- I like to cut them in half, then into thin slices. Once the onions are in the pan with the hot oil or butter, season them with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and toss them to coat.
After the onions have cooked down a few minutes and begin to brown slightly and release some of their liquid- I go ahead and cheat my a** off and throw some good old granulated sugar in the pan. Toss this to coat- and the onions are off to the races; as the sugar accelerates the browning process. Now it's just a matter of occasional stirring, and deglazing for about 20 minutes before they are ready to go!
I like to keep a cup of white wine (or water) close to the stove and add in about 2-3 tablespoons at a time, deglazing over the full 20 minutes as the liquid evaporates. Once the wine is gone, the onions are done! Caramel magic.
Assembling and baking the French Oniop Soup dip
Once your onions are ready, the dip comes together in a flash. All you need to do is stir together a few ingredients, add the onions and get ready to bake! To make the dip, you will need:
What goes into the hot onion dip:
- Freshly made caramelized onions. You can use sweet onions or yellow onions for this recipe.
- 2 bricks of cream cheese, softened. Leave it on the counter for an hour or so before you’re ready to make the dip. Mixing firm cream cheese is HARD (literally and figuratively) and makes for mixed results, with not so mixed ingredients. Plan ahead and let those bricks chill on the counter and get nice and pliable. This gives the dip it's ultra creamy texture.
- A cup of sour cream, for tang and even more richness. If you like, you could also substitute plain Greek yogurt.
- A bit of dry or fresh thyme, to give the dip that classic soup flavor. If using dry, use half of what you would use fresh to avoid overpowering the dip.
- A bit of Worcestershire sauce, for umami goodness.
- Gated Parmesan cheese, for salty, cheesy bite.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, to top the dip and make it extra bubbly, crisp and gooey. You could also use gruyère cheese!
To bake the dip, simply stir together all the ingredients above (except the cheddar), and transfer to either 1 greased 8x8 glass or ceramic baking dish, or 2 large oven-safe soup crocks. I like to serve the dip in 2 crocks, because it's super cute- and because it is French Onion Soup Dip, after all. If you are taking this to go- it could also be prepared in a foil pan.
Once the dip is in your baking vessel of choice, top it with the cheddar cheese and transfer it to a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Then resist the urge to dig in (and burn your mouth) for about 10-15 minutes.
For the full recipe, see recipe card below!
What to serve with the Baked French Onion Soup Dip
This is such a great dip for holidays or game day parties! My hands-down favorite thing to serve alongside this rich, creamy and dreamy party favorite dip are slices of crisp sourdough bread. I brush the slices on both sides with olive oil, then place them under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes a side until they are just golden brown. It's also a great chip dip, and goes great with crinkle cut or kettle cooked potato chips!
I also love a good crusty bread cut into bite size pieces, some good, sturdy crackers, sourdough pretzels, or even sliced veggies like carrots and celery with this dip!
Storing leftovers
If you have any leftover dip (it's THAT good), you can store the cooled dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days!
Made this recipe? Leave a review and rating below!
If you make my Baked Caramelized Onion Dip, please be sure to leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Lastly, if you make the recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram! I love to see your photos!
Looking for more great appetizers?
Why not try my Philly Cheesesteak Jalapeño Poppers, Pickle Battered Cheese Curds, Italian Egg Roll Mozzarella Sticks, or Garlic Herb White Bean Dip!
Hot & Cheesy French Onion Soup Dip from Scratch
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions:
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium white or yellow onions, sliced thinly
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup white wine (for deglazing), (can sub for chicken stock or water)
Dip
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (for topping)
- cooking spray or butter, for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease an 8x8 glass or ceramic baking dish or 2 large oven-safe soup crocks with cooking spray and set aside. 2. Caramelize the onions- Peel the onions and slice them in half, and then into thin slices. 3. Add butter to a large non-stick frying pan, and heat over medium heat until melted. 4. Add the onions, and season with salt and pepper. 5. Toss the onions to combine with the butter, and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are slightly softened and some moisture is released- about 5 minutes. 6. Add the sugar, stir to combine with the onions and continue to cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. 7. Deglaze the pan with 3 tablespoon of the white wine (or water), and stir. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated. Continue to add wine or water, 3 tablespoon at a time to deglaze the pan, making sure to stir and wait for all liquid to evaporate before adding more liquid. Repeat until full cup of wine or water is gone, making sure to stir and wait for evaporation at each interval. Takes approximately 20 minutes total. Once the onions are caramelized, remove them to a bowl and set aside. 8. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and parmesan cheese until well combined- then fold in the onions. 9. Transfer to an 8x8 baking dish, or divide between 2 large soup crocks, and top with shredded cheddar. Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, and serve with warm crusty bread, chips, or veggies! *Notes/Substitutions: If you don't want to use wine- you can deglaze the onions with water. Pro tip: I like to save a few onions back and sprinkle them in with the cheese topping to make it extra pretty, or sprinkle fresh chives over the top. I like to bake in ramekins/soup crocks, which makes 2 bowls of dip, but you could bake in a 8x8 or 9x12 baking dish as well.
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
Marcus says
Wear a wetsuit when making this because you're gonna wanna dive right into the bowl. So much flavor packed under that warm, gooey layer of cheese. A mainstay of soup season
Christina says
Is the thyme meant to be added after it comes out of the oven? There’s no instruction mentioning what to do with it 🙁
Sharon Farnell says
Hi Christina,
thanks for catching that! You can stir the thyme right into the dip mixture before baking. I am updating the recipe now!
Amy says
Can this be made the night before and then baked before serving?
Sharon Farnell says
Yes! Just leave it at room temp while the oven preheats!