Cheese Ball Recipe

By Maria Lichty

Published on December 12, 2024

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This homemade Cheese Ball recipe is our family’s favorite! It’s easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. It is the perfect appetizer for parties, especially during the holidays.

The base of the cheese ball is made from cream cheese, which gives it a rich, smooth texture. It’s usually mixed with shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of hot sauce. To add a bit of crunch and visual appeal, the cheese ball is rolled in crushed pecans.

It can be made up to one week in advance, which makes it perfect for parties. You can have it chilling in the fridge until it is party time!

Everyone will love digging into this delicious cheese ball. It’s creamy, savory, and so good with crackers, cut up vegetables, pretzels, or crostini.

Customize Your Cheese Ball

• Spice it up!: Add in extra spices or herbs. Chopped parsley, dill, paprika, everything bagel seasoning, and thyme are all good options.
• Nuts. Chopped walnuts, chopped or sliced almonds, or chopped pistachios are all good options. If you don’t like nuts or have a nut allergy, you can omit the nuts.
• Pomegranate or Dried Cranberries: For the holidays, you can roll the cheese ball in pomegranate arils or dried cranberries for a festive look!
• Pretzels: You can cover the cheese ball in chopped pretzels. I love the extra salty coating.
• Bacon: If you like bacon, you can roll the cheese ball in chopped cooked bacon.
• Fresh Herbs: Garnish with fresh herbs, like parsley or chives, to add a pop of freshness and color!

How to Make a Cheese Ball

• Use room temperature cream cheese. I recommend a brick of Philadelphia brick cream cheese. If you take it straight from the refrigerator it will be hard to work with. I like to use my stand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until it is smooth.

• Next, add the shredded cheddar cheese and mix until combined. I like to use white cheddar cheese, but regular cheddar is fine too. For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly grated cheese instead of the bagged pre-shredded cheese. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents, which can affect the texture and flavor of your cheese ball. Freshly grated cheese melts and mixes more evenly.
• Add some flavor! Add the garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, green onions, and a little dash of hot sauce.
• Mix until everything is combined; but don’t over mix or the cheese ball can become dense or greasy. I’s okay if the texture isn’t perfectly smooth.

• Form a ball. Place the cheese mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap, then fold the wrap around the mixture and shape it into a ball by pressing the wrap gently around the mixture. This technique can help you form a more uniform shape without it sticking to your hands.
• Chill the cheese ball for at least one hour before serving. This will help the ball keep its form and allow the flavors time to meld.

• Roll in pecans. Rolling the cheese ball in crushed pecans adds texture and flavor, but it’s easier to coat the cheese ball after it’s been chilled and shaped. When ready to serve, remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and roll in the chopped pecans.
• Let sit. I like to let the cheese ball sit out on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before enjoying so it is easier to spread.

What to Serve with a Cheese Ball

Place the cheese ball and a platter or plate with a spreading knife and serve with:

• Crackers
• Cut up vegetables (carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumber, snap peas)
• Pretzels
• Baguette slices
• Pita bread

How to Make Ahead, Store, & Freeze

• Make Ahead: If you want to make the cheese ball in advance, form it into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or storage bag. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, roll it in the chopped pecans.
• Storing in Fridge: If you start with fresh ingredients, you can store the cheese ball in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
• How to Freeze: I prefer a freshly made cheese ball, BUT you can freeze cheese balls. Wrap it well in plastic wrap (without nuts) and then add a layer of foil. Place the ball in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and roll in pecans before serving.

More Appetizer Recipes

• Baked Brie
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Artichoke Dip
• Bacon Cheddar Pretzel Cheese Ball
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• 7 Layer Dip

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Appetizer

Cheese Ball Recipe

This easy cheese ball is a party favorite! It only takes minutes to make and is great served with crackers, bread, or veggies.

4.56 from 38 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced
• A few dashes of hot sauce
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• Crackers, cut up vegetables, or baguette slices, for serving

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Add the garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, green onions, and hot sauce. Mix until well combined combined.
• Spoon cheese mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and form into a ball. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
• When ready to serve, remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator. Place chopped pecans on a plate. Unwrap cheese ball and gently roll in pecans, coating well. Place on a serving plate and serve with crackers, cut up vegetables, or baguette slices.

Notes

The cheese ball will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you are going to keep it in the fridge for that long, I would wait to add the pecans until ready to serve so they don’t get soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 44mg, Vitamin A: 210IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Keywords cheese ball

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