Rich, creamy and deliciously sweet, this mascarpone dip is so indulgent yet so easy to make! We combine fresh mascarpone cheese with a little spice and maple syrup for a fun fruit dip that takes just 5 minutes to come together, and is perfect as a fun sweet appetizer or dessert.
Just like I did with my cottage cheese and honey dip, I have to admit that I did a little happy dance around the kitchen when recipe testing this mascarpone cheese dip, because it's just so good! Sweet, thick and so creamy, I know our family will be dunking fruits and berries in this fun dip for summer and festive events.
So let's talk through how to make this super easy mascarpone dip for fruit with just 4 ingredients in a few minutes. All you need is a hand mixer; there's no need for any fancy kitchen equipment. You won't believe how good it is for such little effort!
If you love a savory mascarpone recipe, do have a peek at my mascarpone chicken and chicken mascarpone pasta recipe for tasty dinner ideas!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Deliciously sweet and creamy. Mascarpone cheese has a lovely sweetness, which we enhance with some maple syrup and a dusting of spice.
Versatile. Serve it up as a sweet appetizer or spoon over fruits as a mascarpone sauce. It's perfect for both summer and festive celebrations.
Quick and easy. It takes just 5 minutes (or less!) to come together.
🥣 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes to guide you:
- Mascarpone cheese - the soft Italian cheese that comes in a tub in stores. It's rich, creamy and has both a little sweetness and a tang!
- Plant milk - I've made this mascarpone dip without heavy cream to keep it a little lighter. We use plant milk to thin and get it all fluffy and delicious instead.
- Maple syrup - to add to the sweetness of the fresh cheese.
- Cardamom - to add a lovely hint of spice. If cinnamon works for you (it's debated in terms of histamine), then that can be used also.
- Vanilla extract - this is optional, but a lovely flavor if it works for you.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this dip with mascarpone cheese is very easy, and all you need are four main ingredients and a hand mixer. If you don't have one, a regular balloon whisk can be used also.
All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Assemble dip ingredients
Add the mascarpone cheese, plant milk, maple syrup, cardamom (or cinnamon) and optional vanilla extract to a large bowl (image 1).
Step 2: Mix the fruit dip
Use a hand mixer to mix the dip together so it is creamy and a little fluffy in texture. This can be a little messy to begin with, so start the mixer on a slow speed to begin with! (image 2). Spoon into your serving bowl and dust with more spice to taste.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Adjust the dip with more maple syrup for extra sweetness to preference. Honey can also be used as a swap.
- You may get a little spattering due to the thiner plant milk, so start your hand mixer on a slower speed. A balloon whisk can also be used, but may not get you such a fluffy dip.
📋 Frequently asked questions
As a soft Italian cheese, mascarpone is thick, creamy and has a balance of sour and sweet flavors.
You can use heavy cream instead of plant milk. The dip will be a little richer and thicker in consistency.
As this is a sweet fruit dip, I suggest to serve as part of a platter with lots of fresh low histamine fruits and perhaps suitable low histamine nuts and seeds. You can also use it as a sauce for fruit, and spoon a good dollop into your bowls!
I don't suggest to freeze the dip as mascarpone can separate when you thaw it.
Mascarpone scores 0 on the SIGHI list for histamine, so would typically be understood as low histamine. Have a peek at my low histamine cheeses post for more info!
🥭 More sweet sauces
Grab your sweet fresh fruits and choose from my popular mango coulis or my passion fruit coulis, as well as these recipes for a fun sauce or dip:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Mascarpone Fruit Dip
Equipment
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup mascarpone
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon*
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Add the mascarpone cheese, plant milk, maple syrup, cardamom and vanilla extract (if using) to a large bowl.
- Use a hand mixer to mix the mascarpone dip so that it is thick, creamy and fluffy in texture.
- Spoon into your serving bowl and dust with a little spice. Serve with fruits and berries!
Notes
- Heavy cream can be used as a swap for plant milk. This will give a thicker and richer cheese dip.
- Adjust the amount of maple syrup and cardamom used to preference.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- plant milks have different scores. Use the type that works best for you.
- cardamom scores 0, but has a note (in French) that some varieties may not be well tolerated.
- vanilla extract (optional), scores 1 with a ? as a liberator.
Teresa says
I did everything as the recipe states, but it's so soupy and runny. Tastes wonderful. Maybe I'll use it as a creamer substitute.
Claire says
I'm a little confused to be honest, as mascarpone should be quite thick and creamy if you buy it in a tub. Perhaps drain off any excess liquid if there is any if you make it again? Glad you enjoy the taste though.