Description
Creamy cheese ball brings southern hospitality straight to your gathering with irresistible flavor combinations. Guests will devour this classic appetizer that blends smooth cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and zesty herbs into one perfect party starter.
Ingredients
Scale
main ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup blue cheese
protein additions:
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon bits
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans
flavor enhancers:
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh chives
coating:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (for rolling)
Instructions
- Soften cream cheese at room temperature for 30 minutes to ensure smooth blending.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese with shredded cheddar and crumbled blue cheese, stirring until well integrated.
- Add crispy bacon bits, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and fresh chives to the cheese mixture, mixing thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
- Gently fold in chopped pecans, creating a cohesive and textured cheese blend.
- Shape the mixture into a compact ball using clean hands, ensuring no crumbling occurs.
- Roll the cheese ball in additional chopped pecans, pressing gently to create a complete exterior coating.
- Wrap the coated cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and texture to firm.
- Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to slightly soften and enhance flavor profile.
- Serve with crackers, sliced baguette, or fresh vegetable sticks for optimal enjoyment.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese is genuinely soft and pliable at room temperature to prevent lumpy texture and guarantee smooth mixing.
- Experiment with different cheese combinations like goat cheese or sharp white cheddar for unique flavor variations and personalized taste profiles.
- Consider making a vegetarian version by substituting bacon with smoked paprika or caramelized onions to maintain depth and complexity of flavor.
- For gluten-free options, serve the cheese ball with gluten-free crackers or fresh vegetable crudités like cucumber slices and bell pepper strips.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Rolling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 494 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg