This homemade cheese ball recipe couldn’t be more timeless, delicious, or simple. Served with a variety of crackers, fresh veggies, or sliced baguette, it’s the perfect appetizer for holidays and special occasions.
This easy cheese ball recipe is a great, reliable option for get-togethers of any kind. It’s classic and delicious, made with such simple ingredients that I normally don’t need any special shopping trips. I almost always have cream cheese on hand, whether it’s homemade cream cheese or some that I picked up with my last grocery run.
It’s creamy, savory, and richly flavored, and the chopped pecans add fun texture. It’s a great option for parties or as an appetizer for dinner guests. It feels special to serve, but there’s not much fuss to making it. In fact, I recommend doubling it up and just making a couple while you’re at it. Freeze the second one for up to a month, thawing in the fridge overnight before serving.
And while a cheese ball is absolutely delightful in itself, it heightens the flavor and texture of the foods you serve it with. Something as plain as celery sticks or carrot sticks becomes a treat when paired with a good cheese ball.
I love to serve it with slices of homemade sourdough baguette, sourdough pita chips, homemade pretzel bites, or these easy sourdough discard crackers. I’ll add slices of fresh cucumbers, sweet peppers, and sometimes even apple slices for a sweet spin.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Savory and delicious – Rich cheese flavors mixed with lots of fresh herbs and seasonings make this a delicious crowd favorite.
Easy classic – Cheese balls are well-received and fully enjoyed any time of year, and what makes them even better are the simple ingredients and easy assembly.
Make ahead – This is a great recipe for making ahead of time. Assemble, shape, pop it in the fridge, then make it pretty on a tray right before you serve. What’s better than having a delicious appetizer ready the day before it’s needed? And it just tastes better with time.
Ingredients
Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese will be more manageable when mixing your ingredients.
Shredded cheese – You can swap out the shredded cheese for your favorite, but I love the classic flavor of cheddar in this recipe.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Modifications and Variations
- Swap out the cream cheese for marscapone for a richer flavor, or swap some of the cream cheese for sour cream or Greek yogurt for a more tangy flavor.
- Replace the cheddar with shredded parmesan, pepper jack, or even gruyere.
- Modify the mix-ins with sweet and savory options.
- Sweet: cranberries, crushed pineapple (drained), other dried fruit, or a swirl of pepper jelly.
- Savory: fresh or dried dill; minced garlic or shallots; green chilies; chopped bell peppers, jalapeños, or green onions; or cooked and crumbled bacon.
- Add more flavor with a bit of Dijon mustard, black pepper, a splash of wine, or even your favorite hot sauce.
- Change up the chopped pecans on the outside with chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, a blend of seeds, everything bagel seasoning, crumbled bacon, or even chopped dried fruit.
- The internet is also full of creative ideas for shaping your cheese ball into a pumpkin or hedgehog, among other fun shapes.
How to Make My Classic Cheese Ball Recipe
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl with a sturdy wooden spoon or hand mixer), add all the ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese has been softened first. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
Step 2: Form the mixture into a ball by rolling it with your hands. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap or wear a pair of food prep gloves to help achieve a ball shape more neatly. It will be soft and sticky.
Step 3: With clean hands, add the pecan pieces to a large bowl, then roll the cheese ball in the pecans until it is completely covered. Wrap securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours or overnight. I find it tastes best if it can sit overnight, letting the flavors build.
Step 4: Unwrap the cheese ball and place it on a pretty platter to serve with crusty sourdough, crackers, or fresh veggies.
Tips
- There are several ways to bring your cream cheese to room temperature. You can let it sit on the counter for about half an hour, submerge the package in a bowl of warm water, or cut it into cubes and microwave for about 10-20 seconds at a time.
- I recommend shredding your own cheese for the best flavor, texture, and to avoid the additives in store-bought shredded cheese.
- Take your cheese ball out of the fridge about 15 – 20 minutes before serving. You want it to soften a bit at room temperature so it’s easier to serve.
- Use a lovely platter, a pretty knife, and arrange your favorite crackers, bread, or veggies neatly. It presents really well!
- Don’t dip directly into the cheese ball with your cracker or bread. It’s usually still too firm, and whatever is dipped may end up in the cheeseball. Use a cheese knife or butter knife to spread.
Recipe FAQs
Wrap it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. You can freeze it for up to one month if wrapped well; just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Typically, a base of cream cheese and shredded cheese, with additional flavors, spices, herbs, and flavorful mix-ins.
Common mistakes are using cold ingredients, adding too many mix-ins, or not chilling the cheese ball after assembly. Cold cream cheese will not mix easily, too many mix-ins will yield a crumbly cheese ball, and not chilling will give you a soft cheese ball that may not hold its shape as well.
You can prepare this recipe up to one week ahead of time. However, leave off the nuts and wrap the cheese ball alone in plastic wrap. About 30 minutes before serving, remove from the fridge, coat in nuts, and assemble your platter.
There are lots of options to serve with a cheese ball, but some favorites are crusty bread, buttery crackers, fresh vegetables, and crunchy apple or pear slices.
More Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Homemade Ranch Dip
- Homemade Jalapeno Jelly
- Easy Bread Dipping Oil
- Pretzel Cheese Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
The Best Classic Cheese Ball Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 8- oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 green onion, diced
- ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon fresh oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire
- ½ teaspoon fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup pecan pieces
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add all the ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese has been softened first. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Form the mixture into a ball by rolling it with your hands. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to help shape it more neatly. It may be soft and sticky.
- With clean hands, add the pecan pieces to a large bowl, then roll the cheese ball in the pecans until it is completely covered. Wrap securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours or overnight to firm up. I find it tastes best if it can sit overnight, letting the flavors build.
- Unwrap the cheese ball and place it on a pretty platter to serve with crusty sourdough, crackers, or fresh veggies.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
