Description
This is the best cheese ball recipe, a popular and classic appetizer that you can make ahead of time and it still comes out looking like you spent all day making it. Cream cheese balls are quick and easy to make and your friends and family will probably think that you ordered it from one of those specialty food catalogs.
Ingredients
Classic Cheese Ball Ingredients:
- 16 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper – optional
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Bacon Ranch Cheeseball Ingredients:
- 16 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp ranch powdered seasoning
- ½ cup chopped green onion (divided ¼ cup + ¼ cup)
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided 2 cups + ½ cup)
- 16 slices chopped bacon (divided 8 slices + 8 slices)
Instructions
- Get a bowl and whip the cream cheese.
- Next, add the sour cream and whip again.
- Now add the cheddar cheese, scallions, and spices and whip one last time.
- Once the ingredients are mixed together, dump the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and use it to help shape the ingredients into a ball shape, pulling up all the sides around the cheeseball.
- Now chill it until firm.
- When ready to serve the cheddar cheese ball, then take it out of the refrigerator and unwrap it.
- Roll it in the chopped pecans. Serve.
Notes
Sour cream is one of the main ingredients and in order to make it creamy and easy to work with you will need to take it out of the refrigerator so it will soften to room temperature. If it is cold it will not mix too well.
You can form the cheese ball the day before you are ready to serve it. Refrigerate and then take it out the next day and roll it in the pecans. That way it will be fresher to serve.
There are other shapes to make a cheese ball, so get creative. You can make it in the shape of a football, a star, an animal…etc
When using cheddar cheese it is better to shred it yourself, it has a fresher taste and texture than buying it pre-shredded.
Making bite-sized cheese balls are nice for a larger crowd, that way you can even make several kinds and everyone will get to taste them all.
If you want the cheese ball to be spicy then feel free to add some tabasco to the mix.
Instead of sticking the cracker right into the cheese ball and breaking the cracker, use a cheese knife to spread it on the cracker instead.
2.2 NET Carbs Per Serving
- Prep Time: 45-60 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: American