Maple syrup is winter in sugar form. Tapped from the grand trees of the great north, fresh maple syrup from your local farmers’ market (or, better yet – directly from a neighboring sugar house) is a magical sweetener worthy of any holiday gathering. Pair it with the quintessentially Christmas-y cranberry, and you have a maple-cranberry dip that will delight any scrooge. From Vermont to Minnesota, New York to New Brunswick, maple syrup production in the Northern reaches of North America is a big, delicious business. Sap is harvested from the trees in the spring as nights are still below freezing and sunnier, warmer days thaw the flow of sap and fill the buckets for sugaring. For days, the sap is reduced until rich, syrupy perfection is achieved. Just how much sap? On average, it takes 86 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup. Magical delight, indeed. This recipe from Lemon Tree Dwelling captures all of the magic held in that small bottle of maple syrup and transforms it into a dippable delight for your next holiday gathering. Paired with our Way Better Snacks Rosemarry Me and Olive Oil crackers, this dip comes alive against the rich herbaceous rosemary cracker. The goat cheese adds tang while the cream cheese adds the texture, and you’ll be snacking way better all season long.