Last Updated December 7th, 2023 at 10:23 am by Lisa
Make Cheese Balls for holiday appetizers this year. There are four flavors of these Christmas appetizers to serve as party food all season.
One, two, or all of these will be the talk of your party. The flavors are White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate, Pimento Cheese, Garlic Chive Goat-Cheese, and Cranberry Pecan.
These will be the star holiday party appetizer on a cheese board and don't they say Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas...
Why You Will Love Cheese Balls
- These are made in 15 minutes, you can put one together even at the last minute.
- They can be made a day or two ahead.
- Pack these up with a bottle for a wine-great hostess gift!
- They're loved by kids and adults.
- Flexible simple inexpensive ingredients.
- Use up ingredients from the holidays like extra candied pecans or cheeses from a charcuterie board.
- Super cute and festive, everyone loves the ornament shape! 🎄
- Ahhh the flavors are ridiculously good!
Four Festive Flavors
I'm going to show you how to make four flavors...you can make all four or mix and match. All four are amazing, but my personal fave is the White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate.
- White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate
- Cheddar Pimento Cheese
- Garlic Chive Goat Cheese
- Blue Cheese Cranberry Pecan
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 kitchen tip: Juice and Seed Pomegranates Easily! It is a lifesaver...
And receive a free Cookout Planner as our thank you!
Let's Make Cheese Balls
These are easy to make, which is why I love serving them as a Christmas appetizer. Plus, you can dress them up or down with a variety of fun and festive toppings!
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 for 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 and small spreader knives.
White Cheddar Rosemary Pomegranate
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (topping)
pro tip: be sure the pomegranate seeds are dry before rolling on the cheese ball, otherwise, they won't stick!
Pimento Cheddar
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon diced jalapenos canned
- 4 oz diced pimentos drained (one small jar)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (topping)
Garlic Chive Goat
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 oz goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic any jar brand
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh chives finely minced (topping)
Blue Cheese Cranberry-Pecan
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz) blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- ½ cup pecans chopped small pieces (topping)
Crackers, Pita Chips, Pretzel Sticks, Bagel Chips, Sliced Baguette, and Crostini.
Chopped Dried Fruits, Crumbled Bacon, Fresh Chopped Herbs, Crushed Chips/Crackers, Mixed Nuts & Chopped Herbs, Nuts (sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc), Grated Cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, blue cheese), Crushed Pretzels Or Potato Chips.
How Can You Decorate Them?
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 and small spreader knives on a tray...
More Christmas Appetizers
Appetizer parties for Christmas eve are relaxed with recipes like beautiful Holiday Deviled Eggs. Warm-up a cold Winter night with this Jalapeno Popper Dip people go crazy for this melty hot dip served with large corn chips.
Brie and Bacon Palmiers baked in 15 minutes with 3 ingredients; store-bought puff pastry crumbled bacon and brie. An easy last-minute appetizer. Shrimp Cocktail is a classic party food idea, be sure to make fresh Cocktail Sauce to go with it, so much better than one from a jar.
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4 Cheese Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
White Cheddar, Rosemary, and Pomegranate
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (topping)
Pimento Cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon diced jalapenos canned
- 4 oz diced pimientos drained
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (topping)
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
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh chives (finely minced topping)
Blue Cheese Cranberry Pecan
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz) blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- ½ cup pecans (chopped small pieces topping)
Instructions
- Reserve the cheese ball topping as noted in each recipe.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix all the 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.
Notes
pomegranate seeds
Be sure the pomegranate seeds are dry before rolling on the cheese ball, otherwise, they won't stick! (I learned this the hard way)servings
The number of servings is approximately 10 people per cheese ball.more topping ideas
- Chopped Dried Fruits
- Crumbled Bacon
- Fresh Chopped Herbs
- Crushed Chips/Crackers
- Mixed Nuts & Chopped Herbs
- Nuts (sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
- Grated Cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, blue cheese)
- Crushed Pretzels Or Potato Chips
more dipper ideas
- Crackers
- Pita Chips
- Celery Sticks
- Carrots
- Pretzel Sticks
- Bagel Chips
- Sliced Baguette
- Crostini
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.