Description
This festive Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball is the perfect holiday appetizer—creamy, tangy, sweet, and crunchy all in one bite. Made with cream cheese, sharp white cheddar, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans, it’s a crowd-pleaser that comes together quickly and makes any gathering feel extra special.
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sharp white cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup additional cranberries and parsley for coating
Instructions
1. Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature to soften.
2. In a bowl, blend the softened cream cheese and shredded cheddar until smooth.
3. Fold in cranberries, green onions, parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper.
4. Scoop the mixture onto plastic wrap, form into a ball, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Toast the pecans in a skillet for 5 minutes, let them cool, then finely chop.
6. Mix pecans with additional chopped cranberries and parsley.
7. Roll the chilled cheese ball in the coating mixture until fully covered.
8. Serve chilled with crackers, bread, or apple slices.
Notes
For a firmer cheese ball, chill overnight before rolling in pecans.
Want a nut-free version? Use crushed pretzels or bacon bits instead.
For a spicy variation, mix in a pinch of cayenne or diced jalapeño.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 cheese ball
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: holiday cheese ball, cranberry appetizer, no bake party food