Nothing Gets The Party Rolling Like This Cheeseball
What could be more fun than a retro recipe? Whether you’re like me and love thumbing through your personal collection of vintage cookbooks, or just like knowing you’ll wow the crowd, an old-school appetizer is always a fun choice — and cheese balls are no exception.
Why are cheese balls so great? Apart from having a visually striking, somewhat silly look, they’re actually delicious. With cream cheese as the structurally-sound base, a classic mixture of shredded cheddar, scallions, bell peppers, and seasonings becomes the most delicious spread for crackers. And that’s just if you follow this recipe to the letter. To me, “cheese ball” is more of a blank canvas than a strict recipe (and I’ve provided plenty of ideas for going off-script!).
I love the toasty chopped pecans on the outside, but really, you can replace that with any number of things — chopped dried fruit, chopped bacon, crushed pretzels, or crushed potato chips would all be delicious. You could even get a little weird with it and try crushed Cheetos or Cheez-It crackers because honestly, a cheese ball is not meant to be taken seriously. This is a fun appetizer for fun people! So make it, and have a ball.
Why You’ll Love It
No appliances required! All you need is a bowl and some plastic wrap to make this perfect party appetizer (AND you can make it ahead).
It’s endlessly riffable. We think this recipe makes a pretty perfect classic cheese ball — but why stop there? Mix and match add-ins to make it your own.
Key Ingredients in a Cheese Ball
Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese makes the perfect base for the cheese ball and firms up to hold its shape once chilled.
Cheddar cheese: It’s worth it to grate the cheese yourself for the best texture. Opt for a yellow sharp cheddar over white — the cheese ball will be more colorful inside.
Bell pepper: Finely chopped bell peppers (you can use any color) along with sliced scallions add pops of freshness and textural variety.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, along with Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, and a little hot sauce give a well-rounded flavor full of umami, tang, and just the right amount of heat.
Pecans: Toast the nuts before coating the outside of the cheese ball for a more robust, nutty flavor.
How to Make a Cheese Ball
Make the cheese mixture. Whisk softened cream cheese in a large bowl to soften, then add grated sharp cheddar cheese, finely chopped bell pepper, scallions, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and a few dashes of hot sauce and mix until evenly combined.
Form the cheese balls. Divide the cheese mixture in half and scrape each half onto its own large sheet of plastic wrap. Gather the edges of each sheet of plastic wrap and twist closed to form a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Coat and serve. Place chopped roasted pecans on a plate. Unwrap the cheese balls and roll them in the pecans, sprinkling and patting into the sides until they’re completely covered. Serve with crackers, crudités, or crostini.
Customize Your Cheese Ball
There are so many flavor possibilities to make your own signature cheese ball. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Add a tablespoon of ranch powder, chopped jalapeños, or chopped crispy bacon — or a combo!
Stir in chopped dried fruit like cherries, cranberries, apricots, or blueberries, or fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or dill.
Swap sharp cheddar cheese for shredded Gouda, smoked Gouda, pepper jack, or aged cheddar.
Experiment with different flavor profiles like feta and chopped artichoke hearts, everything seasoning and shredded lox, or sun-dried tomato, basil, and fontina.
Stir in a little smoked paprika, harissa paste, chipotles in adobo sauce, or gochujang paste for some spice and a golden orange hue.
Instead of pecans, roll the outside in another chopped, toasted nut or crushed crackers, pretzels, or potato chips — or even crumbled bacon or chopped dried fruit.
Drizzle with a little honey or pepper jelly for a touch of sweetness.
If You’re Making a Cheese Ball, a Few Tips
Chop chop! Make sure all of your mix-in ingredients are in small pieces for a consistent cheese mixture and easy spreading.
Sturdy accompaniments are your friend. Delicate chips need not apply here. Serve with thicker vegetables like bell peppers, carrot sticks, celery, and radishes, thicker crackers, or thick kettle potato chips. Pretzel chips are also a good option.
It’s a spread, not a dip. Serve with a spreading knife — even the sturdiest cracker might have a tough time getting through cream cheese on its own.
Think thick. When customizing your cheese ball, make sure you limit the liquid ingredients to no more than 3 tablespoons total so everything still sets up correctly.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can make the cheese balls up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them wrapped in the plastic wrap. Roll in the pecans right before serving. Refrigerate leftover cheese balls in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
More Delicious Retro Appetizers
Deviled Eggs (or try Deviled Egg Dip)
Cheese Ball Recipe
A Ritz cracker’s best friend.
Prep time 12 minutes
Makes 2 (3.5-inch) balls
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces freshly grated sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1/2 medium red or green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 medium scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 dashes vinegar-based hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco, plus more as needed (optional)
2/3 cup finely chopped roasted pecans
Crackers, crudités, or crostini, for serving
Instructions
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Place 16 ounces room temperature cream cheese in a large bowl. Whisk to loosen the texture, about 1 minute. Mix in 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 finely chopped medium bell pepper, 4 thinly sliced medium scallions, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 2 dashes hot sauce if desired together until evenly combined. Taste and add more hot sauce as needed.
Divide the cheese mixture in half (about 14 ounces each). Scrape each half onto its own large sheet of plastic wrap. Working with one at a time, wrap the plastic wrap around the cheese mixture, gather the edges of the plastic wrap over the top, remove any air pockets, and twist it closed like a bread bag to form a ball. Wrap the excess plastic wrap around the ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Place 2/3 cup finely chopped roasted pecans on a plate. Unwrap the cheese balls. Working with one at a time, roll in the pecans, sprinkling and patting the pecans into the sides until the cheese ball is completely covered. (If they’ve firmed up too much in the refrigerator, let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving to soften.) Serve with crackers, crudités, or crostini.
Recipe Notes
One large cheese ball option: Instead of 2 cheese balls, roll and wrap all of the cheese mixture into one large cheese ball.
Make ahead: You can make the cheese ball(s) up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate wrapped in the plastic wrap. Roll in the pecans right before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover cheese ball in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
Ball Just Dropped the Most Beautiful Mason Jars for Its 140th Anniversary ("So Iconic!")
