Here are your best cheese ball recipes — Cheddar Bacon Cheese Ball, Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball, and Sweet Chocolate Cream Cheese Ball. These party cheese ball recipes are the perfect appetizer for your next party.

I love a good party and a big key to a great party is great food. I love making a beautiful charcuterie board filled with all sorts of dips, meats, cheeses, spreads, and more. A cheese ball is a fun addition to any charcuterie board.

When we lived in Texas, I would take my kids to HEB (a mega popular grocery store in Texas). During the holidays they would offer samples of their best-selling cheeseballs. They had an array of kinds and we got excited to see which cheese balls we could sample that day. We served them at many parties but when we moved back to Arizona, I wanted to recreate the popular cheese balls at home. 

These Homemade Cheese Balls are made with all-natural ingredients like cheddar cheese, cream cheese, spices and flavorings, and toppings. 

What is a Cheese Ball made of?

A cheese ball is made with a combination of freshly grated cheese, cream cheese, spices, herbs, and is usually rolled into nuts or fresh herbs. Sometimes savory ingredients like bacon are added for flavor.

Cheddar Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese — use full-fat softened cream cheese
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese — freshly grated cheddar cheese is best
• Crispy Bacon — thick sliced bacon, cooked until perfectly crispy
• Green Onions — finely diced green onions add the perfect amount of freshness
• Jalapeno — if you want extra spice, add the seeds to the cheese ball.
• Cilantro — this adds some earthy freshness to the cheese ball.
• Hot Sauce — use any type of hot sauce for flavor and spice.
• Spices — add a touch of garlic powder and pepper.

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese — use full-fat softened cream cheese
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese — freshly grated cheddar cheese is best
• Pecans — use chopped pecans inside and on the outside of the cheese ball
• Dried Cranberries — sweet and tart cranberries add texture and sweetness
• Chives — have a strong onion flavor so add sparingly
• Garlic Powder — adds the perfect amount of flavor
• Worcestershire Sauce — adds a savory, tangy, salty flavor

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese — use full-fat softened cream cheese
• Butter — adds a rich creaminess
• Brown Sugar — use light golden brown sugar
• Powdered Sugar — also known as confectioner’s sugar
• Vanilla Extract — use pure vanilla extract like Nielsen-Massey
• Chocolate Chips — use mini or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Heath Bar Toffee Chunks — this is an optional ingredient but the toffee notes add a lot to this sweet cheese ball.

What to eat a cheese ball with?

A cheese ball can be eaten with crackers, pita chips, pretzels, tortilla chips, crostinis, and vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and celery.

What kind of crackers to serve with a cheese ball?

Some popular crackers to serve with a cheese ball are butter crackers, classic entertainment crackers, crostinis, dipping thins, nut and seed crackers, flatbread crackers, whole wheat entertainment crackers, and more.

How to make a homemade cheese ball:

A homemade cheese ball takes less than 15 minutes to put together and is such an easy appetizer!

Mix ingredients together. Whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy and then mix in the remaining ingredients. I suggest buying block cheese rather than pre-shredded cheese because it tastes so much better! Also sharp cheddar cheese has a lot more flavor than mild cheddar cheese.

Form the cheese ball into a circular ball.  Use your hands to form the mixture into a ball.  

Coat your cheese ball.  Press nuts, herbs, and extra cheddar cheese (or even chocolate chips if you are making a sweet cream cheese ball) into the outside of the cheese ball, trying to coat the entire exterior.

Storage:

A cheese ball should be tightly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for at least 7-10 days, and even longer, depending on the freshness of the herbs.

You can also make my popular Cold Spinach Dip Recipe into a ball and serve it with these cheese balls.

Another perfect appetizer dip is Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip.

Appetizer Recipes:

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Cheddar Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball:

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball:

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball:

Cheddar Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball:

• Cook bacon according to package instructions. Set aside to drain on paper towels. Then cut into small pieces.

• In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add cheddar cheese, green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, hot sauce, and garlic powder. Fold in chopped bacon. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.

• Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. I suggest chilling for at least 30 minutes. It allows the flavors to develop together.

• Serve with crackers.

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball:

• In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of cranberries, 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, chives, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.

• Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. I suggest chilling for at least 30 minutes. It allows the flavors to develop together.

• When ready to serve, press the remaining 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup of chopped pecans on the outside of the cheese ball.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball:

• In a mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.

• Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.

• Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1-2 hours to allow time to set up. When ready to serve, may roll into mini chocolate chips. Serve with pretzels or fruit.

This is such an easy appetizer and takes less than 15 minutes to put together. I do suggest wrapping the cheese balls and chilling in the refrigerator to allow it to firm up and the flavors to meld together.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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