French Onion Dip
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Turn sweet, jammy caramelized onions into a creamy, tangy French onion dip that’s great for entertaining. Pair it with chips and crudités for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
There’s nothing like the flavor of caramelized onions. They start out sharp and strong, then slowly melt into something sweet, savory, and jammy, the kind of flavor that makes just about everything taste better. This homemade French onion dip takes all that golden, caramelized goodness and stirs it into a creamy, tangy base for an appetizer that’s rich, flavorful, and totally snacky.
It’s the from-scratch version of that classic Lipton onion soup mix dip so many of us grew up with—but deeper, creamier, and so much better. Serve it with chips or crunchy veggies, and don’t be surprised when it disappears fast.
“This French onion dip is freaking awesome. In my opinion, there is nothing that you can buy that even comes close.”
What You’ll Need To Make French Onion Dip
- Sweet Onions: Slowly caramelized onions develop a deep, mellow sweetness that defines the flavor. Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui onions work beautifully.
- Butter: Helps the onions caramelize and adds richness to the base of the dip.
- Dried Thyme & Garlic Powder: Subtle seasonings that add savory depth and balance the sweetness of the onions.
- Cream Cheese, Sour Cream & Mayonnaise: The creamy trio that gives the dip its luscious texture and tang. Be sure the cream cheese is softened, and use a good-quality mayo (like Hellmann’s or Duke’s) for the best flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a layer of umami and depth that makes the dip taste rich and complex.
- Chives: Optional, but they add a fresh pop of color and mild onion flavor right before serving.
- Potato Chips & Crudités: The perfect crunchy accompaniments for dipping.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step InStructions
Step 1: Caramelize the onions. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions along with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until the onions are soft, golden, and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Toward the end, splash in a tablespoon of water at a time (you’ll need a few tablespoons total) to loosen any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the onions to a plate to cool.
Step 2: Mix the base. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer), combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
Step 3: Mix in the cooled onions. Add the caramelized onions to the bowl and mix until evenly combined.
Step 4: Serve. Spoon the dip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives, if you like. Serve with plenty of potato chips or crisp veggies for dipping. If you’re making it ahead, it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then give it a good stir and taste to see if it needs a pinch more salt.
More crowd-Pleasing Appetizers You’ll Love
French Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large sweet onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened (see note)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives, for serving (optional)
- Potato chips or crudités, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and thyme, and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat. Towards the end of cooking, deglaze the pan by adding one tablespoon of water at a time, using only a few tablespoons in total, to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the onions to a plate to cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth and evenly combined. Stir in the cooled onions until they are thoroughly incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve the dip at room temperature, sprinkled with chives (if using), alongside potato chips and/or crudités.
Notes
- To quickly soften cream cheese in the microwave, remove the wrapper and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on 50% power in 5 to 10-second intervals until soft but not melted. This method ensures it softens evenly without turning runny.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dip can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Remove the dip from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to let it come to room temperature. Give the dip a good stir and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I have Jenn’s first cookbook and there is a recipe for warm carmelized onion and Gruyère dip. Have any of you made that recipe.? I love the cook book just miss the input of home cooks.
Hi Jenn,
This French onion dip is basically a love letter to your taste buds. Sweet onions go slow-jam caramel, then crash into creamy tang like they were made for each other. It’s rich, savory, a little sweet — we had it with sourdough pretzels, which was great, but honestly, the saltiest potato chips possible would have been the ultimate match. Chips, veggies, bread — they’re all just delivery systems for this dip.
Keith, just wanted to say that you are a really good writer!
As always Jenn can’t miss, this is delicious and guest approved. It’s so nice to have dependable recipes. I cooked the onions until jammy for 1 hour and used Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Don’t worry, it won’t taste like much at first but the magic happens overnight. Definitely make ahead of time to let the flavors meld and bring out about 30 minutes before ready to serve. I do not recommend skipping the chives they bring a freshness and liveliness to the dish.
Hi Jenn! I just started making this and noticed that the pictures look like you used fresh thyme, but the recipe calls for dried thyme. Can you clarify which is correct? Thanks so much and I really enjoy your recipes 🙂
Hi Kathy, I see the color looks pretty vibrant in the pics, but it is dried thyme. Hope you enjoy the dip!
This is amazing! We will be making it on repeat.
I am going to make for my son’s birthday celebration the day before thanksgiving. Looks wonderful and I know that any recipe by Jenn will be amazing!
This French Onion dip is freaking awesome. In my opinion, There is nothing that you can buy that even comes close.