A traditional social gathering favourite, this cranberry pecan cheese ball is decked out in essentially the most scrumptious coating of chopped chives, dried cranberries, and pecans. That is a simple make-ahead hors d’oeuvre that’s positive to please a crowd! Prep work takes solely about quarter-hour.
There are various recipes on the market for appetizer cheese balls, various in flavors and elements, however that is my private favourite model, and I hope you like it as a lot as I do!
This savory shareable cheese ball is sort of a magnet for snackers. I communicate from expertise; nobody desires to depart the plate! I like to recommend you place it by itself pedestal serving desk, and permit loads of room for folks to flock round it. As a result of flock they’ll, and fairly quickly you’ll hear requires extra crackers. That’s proper, this magic cheese ball has the ability to show your social gathering friends into seagulls. LOL.
Right here’s Why Everybody Loves a Cheese Ball
- Straightforward, low-maintenance, crowd-pleasing appetizer
- Scrumptious mixture of flavors & textures
- Make-ahead recipe; 15-minute prep
- Easy serving presentation
- Tastes nice with crackers & veggies
- Great addition to a charcuterie board or appetizer unfold
What Goes in a Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball?
- Cream Cheese: That is the bottom of the cheese ball, so don’t skimp right here—attain for the full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, like we use for cheesecake. Give it a while to melt to room temperature earlier than you begin.
- Sharp White Cheddar: Purchase the block, not the pre-shredded, cheese and grate it your self for the most effective style and texture.
- Contemporary Chives & Parsley: Finely chopped contemporary herbs are the flavour superstars on this cheeseball.
- Brown Sugar: Only a tiny bit, somewhat candy to steadiness the savory. Not many recipes name for this, however I swear by it as a result of it pairs splendidly with the sharp cheddar and tart cranberries.
- Garlic Powder, Salt, & Pepper: Mega taste enhancers!
- Chopped Dried Cranberries: A bit chewy sweet-tartness to coat the creamy, herby cheeseball.
- Chopped Pecans: Pecans pair splendidly with cranberries, they usually add a lot nice texture to the coating. If you wish to make a nut-free cheeseball, you should utilize chopped pretzels as an alternative—see recipe Notes.
Right here’s How one can Make It
Begin by beating the room-temperature cream cheese till it’s good and creamy. A stand mixer works finest to beat the cream cheese. You should use a handheld mixer, however be warned that the combination turns into very heavy and thick.
Beat within the remaining elements, saving half of the chives, cranberries, and pecans for the coating.
Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the perimeters of the bowl and type the combination right into a ball. You should use your fingers to assist type; it’s solely barely sticky.
Roll the ball within the coating, after which wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill it within the fridge till you’re able to serve it, for no less than 1 hour and as much as 5 days.
That’s it, you’re completed.
I take the cheese ball out of the fridge 20 to half-hour earlier than serving, so it softens up a bit.
What to Serve With a Cheese Ball
I like serving this cranberry pecan cheese ball alongside a charcuterie board. However all you really want to go along with it are some crackers or different edible automobiles that may transport a chew of cheese ball to your mouth.
The consistency is firmer than hummus or a dip comparable to spinach & bacon dip or crab dip, so that you need some sturdy dippers to accompany your cheese ball. Listed here are some solutions:
- Crackers
- Crudités, like carrots and celery
- Pita chips
- Crostini or sliced baguette
- Pretzel rods
The cheese ball tastes finest inside 5 days of creating it, however it may be saved for as much as 10 days. (If it lasts that lengthy!)
You possibly can form the cheese ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it, after which roll it within the coating simply earlier than serving. We additionally examined this recipe by rolling within the coating earlier than refrigerating, and it was nice this manner, too. I discover it simpler to coat it, wrap it, and refrigerate it so it’s able to serve. Refrigerate it, coated or not, for as much as 5 days earlier than serving.
The cheese ball is okay saved at room temperature for just a few hours. After about 4 hours, I’d refrigerate it.
Sure, completely! You possibly can substitute chopped pretzels for the pecans. But when utilizing pretzels, you’ll wish to coat the cheese ball proper earlier than you propose to serve it, in order that the pretzel coating doesn’t get too mushy or soggy.
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Appetizer
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes
Complete Time: 1 hour, quarter-hour
Yield: serves 24
Class: Appetizer
Methodology: Mixing
Delicacies: American
Description
A traditional social gathering favourite, this appetizer cheese ball is decked out in essentially the most scrumptious coating of chopped dried cranberries and pecans. That is a simple make-ahead hors d’oeuvre that’s positive to please a crowd! Prep work takes solely about quarter-hour, and you may put it collectively as much as 5 days upfront.
Directions
- Utilizing a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high velocity till the combination is clean and creamy, about 2 minutes. (If utilizing a hand mixer, be warned that the combination will get fairly thick. A stand mixer is a more sensible choice, or combine every thing along with a silicone spatula by hand.)
- Add the shredded cheese, 1 Tablespoon chopped chives, chopped parsley, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, half of the chopped dried cranberries (about 6 Tbsp), and half of the chopped pecans (about 6 Tbsp), and beat/stir till mixed. Utilizing a silicone spatula, scrape down the perimeters of the bowl and convey the combination collectively, forming it right into a ball as finest you possibly can. You should use your fingers for this as wanted; the combination is barely sticky.
- Make the coating: In a small bowl, stir collectively the remaining chopped chives, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Sprinkle the coating onto a big plate, and roll the cheese ball into the combination to evenly coat.
- Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for no less than 1 hour, and as much as 5 days.
- To serve, let the cheese ball sit out at room temperature for 20–half-hour to barely soften up. Unwrap the cheese ball and place it on a plate or platter surrounded by crackers, together with a knife to unfold.
- Cowl/wrap leftover cheese ball tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 10 days. I discover it’s finest throughout the first 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: You can also make the cheese ball as much as 5 days forward of time, see step 4. You possibly can freeze the cheese ball, too. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap after which a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for as much as 1 month. Thaw, nonetheless wrapped, within the fridge. Proceed with step 5.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Field Grater | Stand Mixer | Silicone Spatula | Glass Mixing Bowl
- Nut-Free Model: Should you’d wish to make a nut-free cheese ball, substitute the chopped pecans used within the coating (6 Tablespoons) with chopped/crushed salted pretzels. (Don't put any pretzel crumbs IN the cheese ball.) To stop the pretzel crumbs from getting soggy, wait to coat the cheese ball with the cranberries/pretzels/chives till simply earlier than serving. Make the cheese ball by way of step 2, after which wrap the uncoated cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Once you’re able to serve it, unwrap the chilled cheese ball and roll it within the coating.
Key phrases: cranberry pecan white cheddar cheese ball
