There are numerous recipes out there for appetizer cheese balls, differing in tastes and ingredients, but this is my personal favorite version, and I hope you love it as much as I do!
This tasty shared cheese ball is like a magnet for snackers. I speak from experience; no one wants to leave the dish! I propose you position it on its own pedestal serving table, and leave plenty of area for people to gather around it. Because swarm they will, and fairly soon you’ll hear cries for more crackers. That’s true, this magic cheese ball has the potential to convert your party goers into seagulls. LOL.
What Goes in a Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball?
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Cream Cheese: This is the basis of the cheese ball, so don’t scrimp here—reach for the full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, like we use for cheesecake. Give it some time to soften to room temperature before you start.
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Sharp White Cheddar: Buy the block, not the pre-shredded, cheese and grate it yourself for the finest taste and texture.
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Fresh Chives & Parsley: Finely chopped fresh herbs are the flavor superstars in this cheeseball.
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Brown Sugar: Just a small amount, a little sweet to offset the savory. Not many recipes call for this, but I swear by it since it goes nicely with the sharp cheddar and tangy cranberries.
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Garlic Powder, Salt, & Pepper: Mega flavor boosters!
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Chopped Dried Cranberries: A little chewy sweet-tartness to cover the creamy, herby cheeseball.
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Chopped Pecans: Pecans combine brilliantly with cranberries, and they offer so much amazing texture to the coating. If you wish to make a nut-free cheeseball, you may use chopped pretzels instead—see recipe Notes.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make A Cranberry Cheese Ball?
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Cream cheese — one 8-ounce block of ordinary cream cheese is all you need. Let it soften by laying it out on the counter 10 minutes before creating the cranberry cheese ball.
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White sharp cheddar — get a block of white sharp cheddar and shred it yourself. Save time by using a shredding instrument like this one and try to avoid buying the pre-shredded variety.
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Dried cranberries - cut up ½ of the dried cranberries to be combined into the cheese ball and leave ½ cup whole for the outside layer for a prettier appearance.
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Roasted nuts – I use these chopped honey roasted pecans, but normal pecans would work as well just make sure to cut them up. If using ordinary pecans, you have the option to roast them for a while in the oven.
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Fresh chives - freshly chopped chives are the ideal taste and color accent to the cheese ball. You may exchange for green onions if required but I believe chives to be the optimum choice.
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Garlic powder - adding a little garlic powder to the cheese ball mixture is a terrific taste enhancer.
Read Also: What is the most popular snack right now?
What to Serve With a Cheese Ball
I enjoy serving this cranberry pecan cheese ball alongside a charcuterie platter. But all you actually need to go with it are some crackers or other food vehicles that can take a mouthful of cheese ball to your mouth.
The consistency is thicker than hummus or a dip such as garlic & bacon spinach dip or crab dip, so you want some solid dippers to complement your cheese ball. Here are some suggestions:
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Crackers
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Crudités, like carrots and celery
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Pita chips
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Crostini or sliced baguette
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Pretzel rods
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Toasted pieces of cranberry nut no-knead bread
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this cheese ball keep?
The cheese ball tastes best within 5 days of creating it, although it may be kept for up to 10 days. (If it lasts that long!)
How do I prepare a cheese ball in advance?
You may form the cheese ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it, and then roll it in the coating right before serving. We also tested this recipe by rolling in the coating before refrigerating, and it was fantastic this way, too. I find it simpler to coat it, wrap it, and chill it so it’s ready to serve. Refrigerate it, coated or not, for up to 5 days before serving.
How long can I keep the cheese ball at room temperature?
The cheese ball is fine maintained at room temperature for a few hours. After approximately 4 hours, I would refrigerate it.
Can I make this cheese ball without nuts?
Yes, certainly! You may substitute chopped pretzels for the pecans. But if using pretzels, you’ll want to cover the cheese ball shortly before you want to serve it, so that the pretzel coating doesn’t get too mushy or soggy.
