Ingredients:

  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (240ml) sour cream
  • 1 cup (225g) shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) finely chopped green onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp (5ml) hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco), or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream
  • Black food coloring (gel or liquid)
  • 1 large black olive, pitted
  • 6-8 small black olive slices

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
  2. Transfer the dip mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with extra shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
  3. While the dip is baking, prepare the sour cream paint. In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup sour cream and a few drops of black food coloring. Mix well until you achieve a uniform dark grey/black color. Transfer to a small piping bag or a Ziploc bag with a small corner snipped off.
  4. Once the dip is out of the oven, let it cool slightly for 2-3 minutes. Then, pipe concentric circles of the black sour cream mixture on top of the baked dip, starting from the center.
  5. Using a toothpick, drag lines from the center of the dip outwards towards the edge, creating the spiderweb effect. Repeat all around the dip.
  6. Cut the large olive in half lengthwise to form the spider's body. Use small olive slices as legs. Place the spider on top of the dip.
  7. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable sticks.