Neiman Marcus Million Dollar Dip

Neiman Marcus Million Dollar Dip is a cheese-based dip that comes together in just five minutes in one bowl and doesn’t require cooking. Made with shredded cheddar, bacon, green onion, slivered almonds, garlic, and mayo, it’s easy to understand why this recipe has been making its way around cookout tables for decades.

Serve alongside crackers and vegetables, and I promise your party guests will go crazy for this one!

What Makes This Dip Different From a Basic Cheese Spread

The biggest thing that sets Million Dollar Dip apart from other similar cheese-based dips is the addition of the almonds. These lend some much-appreciated crunch and body to the dip, and I’ve yet to find a comparable ingredient that performs in quite the same way.

Not only do the almonds provide some much-appreciated texture, they don’t take away from the flavor of the rest of the dip either.

Another factor is the dip itself just gets better the longer it sits. Of course, you can make Million Dollar Dip and serve it right away when it’s freshly mixed, but if you have a chance to give it even just an hour in the fridge before serving?

Better yet, make it the morning of your shindig and leave it in the fridge until party time. Even better.

Million Dollar Dip Ingredients: What Each One Is Doing

Mayo: For this recipe, use full-fat mayo. Light mayo will still work, but the dip is more likely to get a little watery as it sits.

Full-fat mayo keeps it nice and creamy. Hellmann’s or Duke’s work well here.

Don’t substitute yogurt or sour cream here, as those ingredients will change the flavor and body of the dip.

Shredded cheddar cheese — Go with a standard shred, not finely shredded cheese, and grate it from a block yourself for optimal results. The powders added to pre-shredded bags of cheese keep them from melding into the mayo as well as cheese grated at home.

Sharp cheddar has a MUCH more assertive flavor than mild, so choose wisely.

I prefer the convenience of using pre-cooked bacon crumbles which can be found in the salad topper section of most grocery stores. You won’t have to cook them and they’re the perfect size.

However, if you do use cooked bacon that you cooked at home, make sure they’re cooled before combining with the mayo. Adding warm ingredients will throw off the texture.

Also, I like to be a little heavy-handed on the amount of bacon. That way there’s bacon in every single bite.

Otherwise, all of it settles in certain areas.

• Sliced Almonds: the almond doesn’t contribute as much nuttiness to the dip. Rather, the small amount contributes a slight crunch. Thinly sliced almonds work best here. Slivered almonds are ok but they’re thicker and may need to be chopped down in size. Approximate Substitution: Nut free alternatives include sunflower seeds.
• Diced Green Onions: the green and the white portions help cut through the richness of the dip. Yellow onions are too strong for this recipe.

How to Make Neiman Marcus Million Dollar Dip

Step 1: Get your ingredients ready

Dice the green onion, grate the cheese if you’re starting with a block, crumble the bacon if not already done for you.

Step 2: Mix everything together

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add mayo, shredded cheese, diced green onions, garlic, bacon. Mix until evenly combined.

Next, gently fold in the sliced almonds. Additions like bacon and almonds get broken up easily so try not to mix too vigorously.

Step 3: Taste before you chill

Give the Million Dollar Dip recipe a taste and adjust for salt and pepper as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Million Dollar Dip Tips

• Jarred minced garlic is ok to use here. The dip will be chilled which tones down the flavor. Just make sure they’re minced garlic, not paste. The garlic needs to have some body and texture.
• If you’re making this ahead of time, omit the sliced almonds and stir them in right before serving. Chilling the almonds in the dip causes them to lose their crunch.

Million Dollar Dip can be made ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours ahead.

Serve cold, spooned into a shallow serving bowl right before serving.

The One Thing Most People Get Wrong

Adding the almonds ahead of time. If you make Million Dollar Dip hours ahead of time or leave it overnight, the almonds will go soft.

Add them just before serving to keep that all-important crunch.

Pro Tip: The garlic mellows a bit as it sits in the refrigerator. So, if you make Million Dollar Dip ahead of time and find it tastes a little flat when you pull it out of the fridge, add a bit more garlic and a pinch of salt.

The bacon and cheese provide plenty of salt in this recipe.

What to Serve With Million Dollar Dip

• Ritz or Club crackers – the buttery flavor goes well with the cheddar and bacon
• crisp veggies – carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber rounds and bell pepper strips are great with Million Dollar Dip. The crisp, fresh flavors offset the creamy, savory dip nicely
• pita chips – they’re sturdy enough to stand up to a heaping helping of dip
• pretzels – the salty pretzels compliment the bacon and cheddar perfectly
• burger buns – skip the ketchup and mustard and slather a heaping spoonful of Million Dollar Dip on your burger buns instead. Trust us – it’s amazing.

Four Ways to Change It Up

Make it Spicy – Add a couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little spice. Keep in mind the flavor will intensify as it chills, so start with just a couple of dashes.

Sub the Cheddar – Pepper jack adds a little heat (though still mild) and smoked gouda adds a deeper, more complex flavor to Million Dollar Dip.

Add a Little Thickness – Blend together the mayonnaise and 4 oz cream cheese, brought to room temp first to avoid lumps, until smooth. Use as directed.

It adds a bit of thickness and flavor that’s quite tasty.

How Long It Keeps and Why Day Two Is Better

Million dollar dip will keep 3-4 days covered and refrigerated in an airtight container. It’s pretty great the entire time but I find that the cheese absorbs some of the mayo and after being refrigerated overnight the dip seems a little too dry.

Simply stir in an additional 1-2 tablespoons of mayo and it’s perfect.

While the dip will keep a few days, I find that the texture of the almonds starts to soften. For maximum crunch, eat within 1-2 days.

It does NOT keep well in the freezer though as mayo separates when thawed.

Million Dollar Dip FAQ

Can I add ranch?

Totally! For an extra herby, tangy dip add 1 Tbsp of ranch seasoning mix and stir to combine.

My teenagers LOVE ranch so I’ll often add ranch to ours.

Should I use mayo or Miracle Whip?

I like to use mayo. Miracle whip is a bit more sweet and tangy and doesn’t balance as well with the salty, chewy bacon and sharp cheddar cheese in the dip.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t try it out of curiosity.

Can I make Million Dollar Dip ahead of time?

If you’re going to make it in advance, 24 hours before is the sweet spot. The mayo and cheese can alter the texture of the dip if you go any further than that.

For 2 days out, add everything except for the sliced almonds, and add those in when you serve it.

Can I omit the almonds?

You can but it’ll be missing that signature crunch. If you’re accommodating a nut allergy, I’d try adding some sunflower seeds or pepitas instead for a similar effect.

Toasting the seeds/pepitas beforehand will give them a similar flavor as almonds.

Is this really from Neiman Marcus? Is this the same as Neiman Marcus Dip?

“Neiman Marcus dip” and “million dollar dip” are the same recipe. Where the recipe started remains shrouded in mystery and legend, just like that popular cookie recipe, revolving around the Neiman Marcus department store.

Whether true or not, we’re serving it.

Other Dips That Disappear Just as Fast

• Buffalo Chicken Dip – another crowd pleaser. We love to have this along side Million Dollar dip. Cheesy and HOT.
• Jalapeño Popper Dip – more cream cheese love, with a little heat. Party food at its finest.
• Crab Dip with Cream Cheese – cold and creamy, this is a party favorite. This one can be made ahead of time also.
• Spinach Artichoke Dip – a crockpot dip. Serve warm.
• Party Party Dip – can’t go wrong with this crowd pleaser.

The best option for Million Dollar Dip would be to prepare it about 24 hours in advance. It will keep longer then that, however, after 24 hours the mayo and cheese will start to play nice together and change the texture of the dip.

If you are preparing the dip two days in advance I would add all ingredients EXCEPT the sliced almonds and add them on the day you will be serving them.

TIP: When preparing Million Dollar Dip we highly recommend using shredded cheddar that is NOT finely shredded. We find that the texture of the dip turns out better with regular shredded cheddar.