Creamy Caramel Fruit Dip

Fall officially begins in just two days, so that means lots of fall recipes to come, some decorating and enjoying my favorite time of year!  I first made this dip about two years ago for my older sister's baby shower and loved it.  It's not your typical sticky caramel dip (although I love that kind too), so it feels a bit lighter and perhaps healthier.  You could use it for all kinds of fruit, but being traditional, I just prefer to use it for apple slices.

This recipe comes from the amazing lady who catered our wedding, and I've never been disappointed by anything she's made!  When I came across the recipe in the cookbook from my parents' church, I knew it would be great when I saw that she had submitted it.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Creamy Caramel Fruit Dip
Printable Version

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 (4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add the sour cream, milk, pudding mix, vanilla and lemon juice, beating well after each addition.  Chill, covered, until ready to serve.  Yield: approximately 4 cups.

The original recipe calls for reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream, but I just used the full fat versions, so perhaps my twist is not as healthy as hers.

source: A New Taste of our Heritage (church cookbook)