Every baked spinach artichoke dip recipe starts with cream cheese, a can of artichokes and a pile of spinach. Where they split is the creamy extras: one version uses mayo, one skips it, and one packs in a full cup. Here’s how three compare, so you can pick before game day.
We haven’t made any of these, so every amount below belongs to the recipe it’s credited to. You’ll see the “best ever” praise comes from the authors, not from us!
How do three spinach artichoke dip recipes compare?
They agree on the base and drift apart on the creamy extras. Cooks Well With Others (April 2023, updated April 2024) is the loudest of the three. The Merrythought is the lightest on dairy.
Cupcake Diaries (December 2017) is the only one with no mayo.
| Cooks Well With Others | The Merrythought | Cupcake Diaries | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese | 8 oz | 8 oz | 16 oz (two packages) |
| Sour cream | ½ cup | ¼ cup | 1 cup |
| Mayo | 1 cup | ¼ cup | None |
| Spinach | 10 oz fresh, chopped | 10 oz frozen, thawed and drained | 10 oz fresh, chopped |
| Artichoke hearts | 14 oz can | 14 oz can | 14 oz can |
| Garlic | 5 to 6 cloves | 2 cloves | 5 tsp minced |
| Mozzarella | 3 cups | ½ cup | 1½ cups |
| Parmesan | ¾ cup | ¾ cup | ¾ cup |
| Extras | 2 tbsp Worcestershire, ¾ tbsp Old Bay | Salt, pepper | Salt, pepper |
| Oven | 350°F, about 30 to 35 minutes | 350°F, about 20 minutes | 350°F, about 30 to 35 minutes, covered |
The mozzarella gap is the big one. Cooks Well With Others uses six times what The Merrythought does, and its card lists 12 servings at 322 calories each. Cupcake Diaries says its dip works in any size dish if you cover it and check.
Which spinach artichoke dip recipe should you make?
It depends on how rich and how fast you want your dip. The Merrythought is the quickest and the lightest, Cupcake Diaries is the creamiest, and Cooks Well With Others is the one with the savory kick.
- Lightest: The Merrythought, with the least sour cream, mayo and cheese of the three.
- Creamiest: Cupcake Diaries, which doubles the cream cheese and adds a full cup of sour cream.
- Most savory: Cooks Well With Others, the only one with Worcestershire and Old Bay.
Not sure about the mayo? It’s optional, as Cupcake Diaries shows. If you’d rather not buy a jar for one dip, that version gets its creaminess from the extra cream cheese and sour cream instead.
Should the spinach be fresh or frozen?
Spinach for a baked dip can be fresh or frozen, and these three split two to one. Two use fresh leaves chopped and stirred straight in. The Merrythought uses a thawed box and says to drain it.
Cooks Well With Others puts everything in the dish unstirred, then starts stirring after about 15 minutes in the oven and a few more times. Cupcake Diaries stirs it all together in a bowl first. Either way, you’ll want the artichokes drained and chopped too!
How long does it bake, and what do you serve it with?
Baking times run from about 20 to 35 minutes, all at 350°F. The Merrythought bakes uncovered for about 20 minutes until bubbly. Cupcake Diaries covers its dip with foil for about 30 to 35 minutes. Cooks Well With Others bakes uncovered, then melts the last cup of mozzarella on top.
For dippers, the recipes name tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices and Fritos Scoops. If you’re planning a full spread, our Thanksgiving appetizer ideas sort twelve starters by oven space, and the Stalekracker gameday cheese dip is another hot dip to compare.
Spinach artichoke dip questions people ask
Does it need mayo?
No. Cupcake Diaries skips it and uses 16 oz of cream cheese plus a cup of sour cream. The other two both use it, from ¼ cup up to a full cup.
Can you make it ahead?
None of the three pages gives a make-ahead method, so we can’t say for sure how long an unbaked dip holds. Check the notes on the recipe you pick before you plan to assemble it early!
Is a restaurant dip made the same way?
Not always. One commenter in an r/Cooking thread says they worked at a TGI Fridays in the late 90s and wrote, “Their baked Spinach & Artichoke dip started with a bechamel as the base, not a combo of mayo and sour cream as so many ‘copycat’ recipes out there suggest.” It’s one person’s memory, not a recipe we tested.