Ingredients
Method
- Leave your blocks of cream cheese on the counter for at least two hours before you begin mixing. If you are in a hurry, you can unwrap them and heat them in the microwave.
- Put the softened cheese into a large bowl and beat it with a spatula until it looks like thick frosting. Stir the sour cream into the cream cheese until the mixture is uniform. Keep stirring until there are no lumps left, as a smooth base is the foundation of a good dip.
- Take your dill pickles and pat them very dry with a paper towel. If the pickles are too wet, they will release juice into the cream cheese and cause the dip to separate over time. Chop them into tiny, uniform pieces so that you get a bit of pickle in every single bite.
- Pour the pickle juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper into the bowl. Stir in the freshly chopped dill as well. Use a large spoon to fold all these seasonings in until the green specks are distributed evenly.
- Add your chopped pickles to the cream cheese mixture. Use a gentle folding motion to combine them so you don’t crush the pieces. If the dip feels too thick, you can add one more tablespoon of pickle juice to loosen it up.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Toss in the Panko breadcrumbs and stir them constantly for about three minutes. You want them to turn a deep, golden brown color.
- When you are ready to serve, take the dip out of the fridge and give it one more quick stir. Spread it into a shallow serving dish and sprinkle the toasted Panko breadcrumbs generously over the top.
Notes
While you can serve the dip immediately, it really benefits from an hour in the refrigerator. This resting time allows the garlic and onion powders to hydrate and the pickle flavor to seep into the cream cheese.