Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). You’ll want it nice and hot to get that gooey, melted cheese on top.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the refried beans, softened cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Mix everything until it’s smooth and well-blended. If you’ve got kids or a partner hanging around the kitchen, this is a fun step to get them involved.

Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese into the mixture. This adds extra cheesiness throughout the dip. Save the remaining cup of cheese for the top. The more cheese, the better, right?

Spoon the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded cheese over the top. If you’re feeling fancy, you can sprinkle on a little extra taco seasoning or paprika for color.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden. Your kitchen will smell amazing by this point—a good sign that it’s almost time to dig in! Keep an eye on it toward the end of the baking time to make sure the cheese doesn’t overbrown.

Remove the dip from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Serve it warm with tortilla chips, crackers, or even fresh veggie sticks like celery and bell peppers. Trust me, once you take that first bite, you won’t be able to stop.