To begin, gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
You'll need a food processor or a blender to process the peanuts for this recipe. An immersion blender would also work.
In a food processor, chop 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts until they are coarsely ground.
With a butter knife, add 8 oz. cream cheese (small chunks) to the ground peanuts, along with 1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed) and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
Process again until mixed well. Scrape the peanut dip from the food processor with a spoon or hard spatula.
Serve on a pretty platter or in a small bowl with 2-3 large apples , such as Gala, Red Delicious, or Honey Crisp--especially when they are in season. They are so big and juicy!
Store any unused dip in a container in the refrigerator for up to ten days. Although I doubt it will last more than a few days.
This recipe will make about 2 cups of peanut dip and will serve 8-10 people.