Halloween Spider Web Dip

This Halloween spider web dip is the easy, no-cook appetizer that steals the show at every Halloween party! Layers of cream cheese, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, cheese and black olives are topped with a piped sour cream spider web, and it's low carb and keto friendly at about 7g net carbs per serving.

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I confess, I do love novelty food at Halloween. Everything about this holiday is fun and light-hearted, so why not celebrate it with food? And by food, I mean LOW CARB food. This layered dip is my go-to Halloween appetizer for parties, trick-or-treat night snacking and spooky movie marathons, and it sits right alongside my Low Carb Jack O'Lantern Dip as a family favorite.

There's no actual cooking involved. If you have the guacamole already made (try my easy creamy guacamole!), the whole spider web dip comes together in about 15 minutes, right up until the sour cream web, which does take a little patience.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Cream cheese. The base layer that holds everything together. Let it come to room temperature so it spreads smoothly without tearing. Full-fat cream cheese has the best texture; whipped cream cheese works too and spreads even more easily.
• Guacamole. Homemade or store-bought both work. It forms the green "background" of the web, so a smooth guacamole gives the cleanest look. My chunky guacamole with cumin is great for flavor, but mash it a little smoother for this.
• Salsa. Always check the label on store-bought salsa, since some brands add sugar for no good reason. Green Mountain Gringo salsa is a good low carb pick. Drain off any extra liquid so it doesn't run into the other layers.
• Shredded lettuce and cheese. Iceberg lettuce adds crunch for hardly any carbs. Cheddar or a Mexican blend is classic; pepper jack adds a little heat.
• Black olives. Sliced black olives make the spooky dark ring. Canned sliced black olives are the easiest option.
• Sour cream. This is your spider web. Full-fat sour cream pipes the best because it holds its shape. Plain Greek yogurt works as a swap, though it adds a gram or two more carbs.
• Plastic spiders. Not edible, but essential for the look! A bag of black plastic spiders in a few sizes lasts for years of Halloween parties. Wash them before they touch food.

How to Make Spider Web Dip

Start by smoothing the cream cheese over a large plate or platter. It helps if the cream cheese is at room temperature. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out.

Then spread the guacamole in a circle over the center of the cream cheese.

Next, add a ring of salsa around the guac.

Spread the shredded lettuce around the salsa, covering the rest of the cream cheese, then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the lettuce. Finish the "rings" with a circle of sliced black olives.

To make the web, spoon the sour cream into a piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip off one small corner. Squeeze the sour cream out to form three or four circles, one inside the other.

OK, I could have piped them more delicately than this, but I wanted to make sure there was plenty of sour cream! Use a knife or wooden pick to draw lines from the middle circle out to the edge, then top the web with a plastic spider (or four!).

Helpful Tips for Piping the Sour Cream Web

Snip a tiny hole. Cut the smallest corner you can off the bag, about ⅛ inch. You can always snip a little more, but a big hole gives thick, blobby lines instead of a delicate web. Disposable piping bags give the most control, and a plastic squeeze bottle works well too.

Stir the sour cream first. Give it a good stir in the tub so it's smooth and even. If it's very thick, stir in a teaspoon of milk or cream; if it's runny, chill the filled bag for 10 minutes so the lines hold their shape.

Pipe from the center out. Start with a small circle in the middle and work outward, spacing the rings evenly. Don't worry if they're not perfect circles; real spider webs aren't either, and a slightly wobbly web looks spookier.

Drag, don't press. Hold a toothpick or the tip of a knife just touching the surface and pull it in one smooth motion from the center to the outer edge. Wipe it clean between lines. Eight lines, like the legs of a spider, looks great.

Pipe the web last. Add the sour cream web shortly before serving so the lines stay crisp and white. The layers underneath can be made a few hours ahead and chilled.

Variations

• Spider web guacamole. Skip the cream cheese and lettuce layers and spread a thick layer of guacamole over a shallow dish, then pipe the sour cream web right over the top. It's quicker, and perfect for a smaller crowd. My Puking Pumpkin with Spicy Guacamole is another fun way to serve guac at Halloween.
• Taco spider web dip. Mix a tablespoon of sugar-free taco seasoning into the cream cheese before spreading it, so every scoop tastes like a taco night.
• Seven-layer style, minus the beans. Classic seven-layer dips use refried beans, which are too high in carbs for us. A layer of seasoned ground beef gives the same hearty, meaty bite.
• Spicy version. Use pepper jack cheese, a hot salsa and a few sliced jalapenos around the olive ring.
• Mini spider web dips. Build the layers in small clear cups and pipe a little web on each one for grab-and-go party servings.

Serving Ideas

To serve the dip, you'll need something sturdy to scoop with, because you'll want to dig all the way down through the layers. Something bendy like cucumber or bell pepper strips may not be the best. Celery sticks, pork rinds, low carb tortilla chips and my Almond Flour Crackers all work well, and my Low Carb Halloween Chips are cut into spooky shapes to match the theme.

For a full Halloween appetizer spread, set the spider web dip out alongside a Keto Halloween Snack Tray, some Halloween Spider Deviled Eggs and a pitcher of something festive to drink. The whole table stays low carb, and nobody feels like they're missing out.

Storing & Freezing

You can assemble the cream cheese, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, cheese and olive layers up to 4 hours ahead. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it gently against the guacamole to stop it browning, and keep it in the fridge. Pipe the sour cream web just before serving. Leftovers keep, covered, in the fridge for about 1 day; the lettuce softens and the guacamole darkens after that.

This dip doesn't freeze well. The lettuce turns limp, the guacamole browns and the cream cheese and sour cream go grainy once thawed, so make it fresh for your party and plan for it to be eaten the same day.

More Low Carb Halloween Recipes

If you loved this spooky appetizer, here are a few more Halloween treats you might enjoy:

• Low Carb Jack O'Lantern Dip
• Low Carb Monster Bites - a Halloween appetizer!
• Owl Veggie Tray
• Low Carb Mummy Hot Dogs
• Low Carb Halloween Recipes

📖 Recipe

StepAwayFromTheCarbs.com

Halloween Spider Web Dip

4.80 from 10 votes

This spooky spider web dip is an easy, no-cook Halloween appetizer: layers of cream cheese, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, cheese and olives topped with a piped sour cream web. Low carb and keto friendly!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Makes: 4 Servings

Net Carbs: 7

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 4 oz guacamole homemade or store-bought
• ½ cup salsa no sugar added, drained
• 2 cups shredded lettuce iceberg
• ¼ cup shredded cheese cheddar or Mexican blend
• ¼ cup sliced black olives
• ¼ cup sour cream full-fat
• plastic spiders washed, to garnish (not edible!)

Equipment

• Plastic Spiders

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Spread the softened cream cheese in an even layer over a large round plate or platter (about 10-12 inches), using the back of a spoon.
2. Spread the guacamole in a circle over the center of the cream cheese, leaving a border of cream cheese showing around the edge.
3. Spoon the salsa in a ring around the guacamole.
4. Spread the shredded lettuce around the salsa, covering the rest of the cream cheese, then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the lettuce.
5. Arrange the sliced black olives in a ring between the salsa and the lettuce.
6. Stir the sour cream until smooth, then spoon it into a piping bag or small zip-top bag and snip off a very small corner (about ⅛ inch). Pipe 3 or 4 circles over the guacamole, one inside the other, starting from the center.
7. Gently drag a toothpick or the tip of a knife from the center circle out to the edge, about 8 times around, to form the spider web.
8. Top with plastic spiders and serve right away with celery sticks, pork rinds or low carb crackers.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 7gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 577mgPotassium: 374mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1310IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 7g

Notes

Make ahead: assemble all the layers except the sour cream up to 4 hours ahead, cover tightly and chill. Pipe the web just before serving.

Serve with sturdy dippers like celery sticks, pork rinds or low carb crackers.

Nutritional data does not include plastic spiders. 😉

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Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.