Delectable mini cheese balls rolled in festive toppings and arranged into a wreath! EASY to make and can be made IN ADVANCE!
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Additional Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Keyword: can you freeze a cheese ball, cheese ball appetizers, Christmas cheese ball, Christmas themed appetizers, cream cheese ball, cream cheese cheese balls, cute Christmas appetizers, holiday cheese ball, homemade cheese balls, mini cheese balls, ranch cheese ball
Servings: 20
Calories: 224kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Cheese Balls
three 8-ounce brick-style packages full-fat cream cheesevery well softened to room temp* (See Notes)
1cupshredded cheddar cheese blend**See Notes
3tablespoonsmayonnaisefull-fat recommended
3tablespoonsdry ranch dip mixregular, fiesta, or spicy flavor
1tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
1tablespoonDijon mustarddon’t use yellow mustard because the flavor just isn’t the same
½cupred or yellow bell peppersvery finely diced
Toppings
½cupdried cranberries
½cuppecans
2tablespoonswhite sesame seeds
½cupshelled pistachios
2tablespoonsblack sesame seeds
½cupslivered almondscoarsely hand-chopped if desired
1tablespoonred pepper flakesoptional (omit if you don’t want any heat)
Instructions
Cheese Balls:
To a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high until very smooth. Tip - This will be much easier if your cream cheese is well softened to room temp. Take it out at least 1 hour before beginning and place it in your mixing bowl (take it out of the aluminum foil wrappers).
Add the shredded cheese, mayo, ranch dip mix***(See Notes), Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and beat to incorporate.
Using a medium cookie scoop, form approximately 1-tablespoon sized cheese balls; set the finished ones on a large platter as you work.
Toppings:
To a mini food processor (or full size if that's all you have) add and pulse the cranberries****(See Notes). Place them in a small bowl.
Then pulse the pecans and add them to the small bowl with the cranberries and stir to combine. Tip- When pulsing any of the nuts in this recipe, make sure you are not creating dust or nut butter; quick pulses to finely chop is what you are looking for.
Pulse the pistachios and place them in a separate small bowl.
Add the black sesame seeds to the bowl with the pistachios and stir to combine.
Add the slivered almonds and optional red pepper flakes to a separate small bowl and stir to combine.
Roll ⅓ of the cheese balls in the pecans and cranberries.
Divide and roll ⅓ of the cheese balls in the pistachios and black sesame seeds.
Roll the last ⅓ of the cheese balls in the slivered almonds and red pepper flakes.
Tip For Making In Advance: Optionally, stop here, and carefully place the rolled balls in airtight containers and assemble the actual wreath later.
Assembly:
On a large platter or plate, arrange the balls in a circle wreath.
Assembly Tips: Space out the different flavors of cheese balls, and if necessary, use toothpicks (warn your guests about them!) pushed in to hold in place. Stack and stagger the cheese balls to create a beautiful wreath.
Tuck herbs and leaves like sage around the wreath to decorate it and then add some festive cranberries or pomegranate seeds around.
You can use holiday sprigs as well like a sprig of rosemary or thyme.
Refrigerate your platter for at least 2 hours, or up to 24-28 hours, before serving so it holds better at room temp.
Cheese balls can be made up to 48 hours in advance and kept airtight in separate containers in the fridge. Or, the whole wreath can be assembled and wrapped well with plastic wrap and kept airtight for up to 48 hours in the fridge. After it has sat out at room temp, best to consume the wreath on a singular night/event. However, extra cheese balls will keep for up to 2 weeks airtight in the fridge since cheese keeps very well when sufficiently cold.
Notes
*You need to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese and not low fat, zero fat, or anything labeled ‘spreadable’ since they are too mushy due to their lack of fat. This will translate into the balls of cheese not holding their shape and seeming overly soft and mushy, even when well chilled.**I used shredded cheddar cheese blend, but you can use a wide variety of shredded cheeses. For example, a Mexican cheese blend or an Italian blend would be fine. As well as pepper Jack or Colby. I’ve never tried used a reduced fat cheese blend, although it would probably be okay.***If you don't have ranch mix in your part of the world, add 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic salt in its place. Not exactly the same, but for this recipe it is close enough.****Sometimes dried fruit can actually be kind of moist, and this isn’t ideal for your cheese balls. So if your dried cranberries seem quite sticky or moist, before putting them in the food processor, you can place them spread out on a parchment lined pan in an oven set at 200°F for about 20 to 30 minutes. This can help them dry out a bit more. Let them cool completely before using. Mixing the cranberries with the sesame seeds after they are put through the food processor will also help them be dryer.