🧀✨ Classic Cheese Ball
Creamy • Savory • Crowd-Pleaser
⭐ Servings
10–12
🥣 Ingredients
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped pimientos or red bell pepper (optional)
- 1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of salt (optional—cheese is already salty)
Coating
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional for color)
- 2 tbsp finely diced green onion or dried chives (optional)
👩🍳 Full Recipe Instructions
1. Mix the cheese base
In a large bowl, combine:
- softened cream cheese
- shredded cheddar
- green onions
- pimientos
- Worcestershire
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- pepper
Mix thoroughly until smooth and evenly combined.
A hand mixer on low helps speed this up.
2. Shape the cheese ball
- Transfer mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap.
- Wrap tightly and shape it into a ball.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to firm up.
3. Prepare the coating
Mix together in a shallow dish:
- chopped pecans
- parsley
- chives or green onion
This adds crunch, flavor, and color.
4. Roll to coat
- Unwrap the chilled cheese ball.
- Gently roll it in the nut mixture until completely coated.
- Press lightly to help the coating stick.
5. Serve
Place on a platter and serve with:
- buttery crackers
- pretzel crisps
- sliced cucumbers
- celery sticks
- toasted baguette slices
🌟 Variations
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
- Add ranch seasoning + cooked crumbled bacon to the cheese mixture.
- Coat in bacon + chives.
Holiday Cranberry-Pecan
- Mix in dried cranberries.
- Coat in pecans + dried cranberries.
Jalapeño Popper
- Add diced jalapeños + shredded pepper jack.
- Coat in bacon and cheddar.
Everything Bagel
- Coat the cheese ball with everything bagel seasoning.
- Add minced onion to the filling.