Looking to dazzle your holiday guests with a show-stopping appetizer? Meet the cranberry pecan cheese ball!
Studded with cranberries, pecans, and chives, this cheesy delight is bursting with flavor and texture.
And, it looks pretty darn festive too.
Serve with crackers, pretzels, fresh veggies, or your favorite dipper, and watch it disappear!
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Easy to Make: With a quick and easy prep, this recipe is perfect for stress-free entertaining!
Incredible Taste & Texture: The smooth, creamy center is punctuated by sweet-tart cranberries and buttery pecans for an irresistible flavor and crunch.
Feeds a Crowd: This festive appetizer easily serves 20 or more guests. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, or large gatherings.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Juggling a busy holiday schedule? Prepare this appetizer in advance and refrigerate until 15 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese: The creamy foundation that helps bind all the ingredients together.
- White Cheddar Cheese: Adds a bold, complex flavor. Use freshly grated for the best results.
- Dried Cranberries: Sweet, tart, and chewy dried cranberries add a ton of flavor and texture.
- Chopped Pecans: Provides a buttery crunch and nutty flavor.
- Fresh Chives: Delivers a mild onion flavor.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper make all the flavors pop.
How to Make Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Easy breezy hosting is what this cheese ball is all about! Whip it up in minutes and refrigerate until serving.
1. MIX the softened cream cheese, white cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, pecans, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
2. TRANSFER the cheese mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Gather the edges and shape the mixture into a ball. Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
3. COMBINE the finely chopped cranberries, pecans, and chives for the coating, mixing them evenly.
4. REMOVE the plastic wrap from the cheese ball and roll it in the cranberry-pecan mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
5. SERVE with crackers, baguette slices, or fresh vegetables on the side for dipping.
Tips For the Best Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
This appetizer is my go-to for holiday gatherings!
It’s elegant enough for fancy parties but casual enough for laid-back get-togethers.
And to ensure it turns out picture-perfect, check out these tips:
- Soften the cream cheese. It’ll make mixing a lot easier. Beat it with a mixer at first until smooth, then blend in the spices before mixing in the extras.
- Use full-fat cheese. The holidays aren’t the time to scrimp on calories! Plus, full fat will hold the ball shape better.
- Chop finely. You don’t want big chunks of pecan here and little crumbs there. Instead, try to make them all as even as possible so you get a little of everything in each bite.
- Make ahead. Prepare the cheese ball up to 2 days in advance. Be sure to store it wrapped and coat it right before serving for the freshest flavor.
- Try variations. Swap white cheddar for gouda, add cayenne for heat, or mix in fresh rosemary or thyme for an herbal twist.
How to Store
Making this beauty ahead of time means more time to enjoy the party.
Just remember to let it sit out for about 15 minutes before serving. It spreads like a dream when it’s not ice-cold.
To Store: Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For the best flavor, remove from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving.
To Freeze: Wrap the uncoated cheese ball in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the coating just before serving.
More Cheese Ball Recipes to Try
Pineapple Cheese Ball
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Dried Beef Cheese Ball
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
24
20
minutes1
hour161
kcalThis easy cranberry pecan cheese ball is perfect for stress-free entertaining! Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and nutty, it’s packed with flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- For the Cheese Ball
16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
- For the Coating
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and beat again until lump-free and well combined.
- Add the shredded cheese, cranberries, pecans, and chives and mix by hand with a spatula until well combined.
- Transfer the cheese mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap. Gather the edges of the plastic wrap and shape the mixture into a ball. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
- In a wide bowl or shallow plate, mix the cranberries, pecans, and chives for the coating. Unwrap the cheeseball and roll it in the coating until evenly covered. Press gently so it sticks and fill in any gaps, where needed.
- Place the coated cheese ball on a serving platter. Surround it with crackers, baguette slices, or fresh vegetables for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use full-fat cheese. The holidays aren’t the time to scrimp on calories! Plus, full fat will hold the ball shape better.
- Make ahead. Prepare the cheese ball up to 2 days in advance. Be sure to store it wrapped and coat it right before serving for the freshest flavor.
