Last Updated June 25th, 2020 at 06:35 pm by Lisa
Learn how to make four Festive Holiday Cheese Balls: White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate, Cheddar Pimiento, Garlic Chive Goat Cheese, and Blue Cheese Cranberry Pecan.
The holiday season is upon us, and I am here to make it a little bit easier for you with some perfect holiday appetizers! You just can’t go wrong with cheese balls, so how about four recipes?
Why You’ll Love This Easy Holiday Appetizer
I know why cheese balls are so popular:
- They’re easy!
- They can be made a day or two ahead!
- They’re loved by everyone!
With these flavor options, you can make all or just one.
Four Festive Recipes
In this post, I’m going to show you how to make four flavors:
- White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate
- Cheddar Pimiento
- Garlic Chive Goat Cheese
- Blue Cheese Cranberry Pecan
There is something for everyone in these easy cheese holiday recipes. All four flavors are amazing, but my fave is the White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate…
Can you blame me? I love how bright and festive it looks thanks to the pomegranate seeds. (Speaking of which, if you’re always wrestling with pomegranates and ending up with a whole lot of mess and not a whole lot of seeds, check out my post: Juice and Seed Pomegranates Easily! It is a lifesaver!)
How Do You Make Cheese Balls?
Cheese balls are so easy to make, which is why I love serving them as an easy Christmas appetizer. Plus, you can dress them up or down with a variety of fun and festive toppings!
Let me tell you how to make cheese balls first, then we’ll talk about each of the four cheese ball recipes….
Step 1: Reserve the topping as noted in each recipe.
Step 2: In a medium-size bowl, mix the ingredients with a fork until well combined.
Step 3: Remove using a small rubber spatula, and roll into a round ball shape.
Step 4: Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, but overnight makes the flavors really come through!
Step 5: Roll in the topping right before your party.
TIP: Have your topping ready in zip-lock bag/s and assemble while plating with crackers.
Ingredients for White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate Cheese Balls
To make White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate Cheese Balls, you’ll need:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (cheese ball topping)
tip: be sure the pomegranate seeds are dry before rolling on the cheese ball, otherwise, they won’t stick!
Ingredients for Cheddar Cheese Pimiento Cheese Balls
To make Cheddar Cheese Pimiento Cheese Balls, you’ll need:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon diced jalapenos canned
- 4 oz diced pimientos drained (one small jar)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (cheese ball topping)
Ingredients for Garlic Chive Goat Cheese Balls
To make Garlic Chive Goat Cheese Balls, you’ll need:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 oz goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic any jar brand
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh chives finely minced (cheese ball topping)
Ingredients for Blue Cheese Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Balls
To make Blue Cheese Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Balls, you’ll need:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz) blue cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped small pieces (cheeseball roll topping)
How Can You Decorate Cheese Balls?
However, you want! For a festive holiday appetizer or Christmas appetizer, I suggest adding a cute ornament hanger and fun bright bow, so they look like Christmas ornaments on a platter! Serve with assorted crackers…
Which Cheese is Used for Cheese Balls?
I use cream cheese as the base for all of my holiday cheese balls because it is firm and holds together well. I often include other cheeses for flavor such as:
- Goat cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Blue cheese
More Holiday Appetizers
Happy Holidays, and Merry Everything!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Festive Holiday Cheese Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the White Cheddar, Rosemary, and Pomegranate Cheese Ball:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds cheese ball topping
For the Cheddar Cheese Pimiento:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon diced jalapenos canned
- 4 oz diced pimientos drained (one small jar)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese ball topping
For the Garlic Chive Goat Cheese:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 oz goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic any jar brand
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh chives finely minced (cheese ball topping)
For the Blue Cheese Cranberry Pecan:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz) blue cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped small pieces (cheeseball roll topping)
Instructions
- Reserve the cheese ball topping as noted in each recipe.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix the cheese ball ingredients with a fork until well combined.
- Remove using a small rubber spatula, and roll into a round ball shape.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, but overnight makes the flavors really come through!
- Roll in the topping right before your party. Tip: have your topping ready in zip-lock bag/s and assemble while plating with crackers.
- Optional: add a cute ornament hanger and fun bright bow.
- Serve with assorted crackers or baguette slices.
There is something for everyone with these. These were a huge hit at my family’s Christmas gathering and were indeed festive as ornaments. So cute! I have made these a few times separately and just cannot pick which one is my favorite. I love all of these combinations and they go great with different things. I guess I never have to decide. So, so good. PS. Did I mention how easy these are to put together? It’s embarrassing.