Description
Delightful cranberry pecan cheese ball showcases creamy cheese blended with sweet-tart cranberries and crunchy pecans. Festive appetizer delivers rich flavors and elegant presentation for holiday gatherings you’ll love serving.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries, chopped
- ¾ cup (90 g) chopped pecans (¼ cup for inside, ½ cup for coating)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme or rosemary (optional)
- Crackers (for serving)
- Fresh vegetables (for serving)
- Bread slices (for serving)
Instructions
- Blend Mixture: Combine softened cream cheese and shredded cheddar until smooth, creating a rich and creamy foundation for the appetizer.
- Flavor Infusion: Integrate chopped cranberries, honey, garlic powder, and thyme into the cheese blend, developing a complex and balanced flavor profile.
- Initial Shaping: Use plastic wrap to form the mixture into a compact sphere, incorporating half the pecans directly into the cheese mixture for internal texture.
- Chilling Process: Refrigerate the formed cheese ball for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld and consistency to firm up.
- Coating Preparation: Spread remaining pecans on a flat surface, optionally mixing in additional chopped cranberries for visual and textural contrast.
- Final Assembly: Carefully roll the chilled cheese ball through the pecan mixture, ensuring a complete and uniform exterior coating.
- Serving Presentation: Transfer the finished cranberry pecan cheese ball to a decorative platter, accompanied by an array of crackers, fresh vegetables, or artisan bread for elegant serving.
Notes
- Balance Flavors Carefully: Adjust honey and garlic powder incrementally to prevent overpowering the delicate cheese and cranberry combination.
- Prevent Moisture Separation: Pat cranberries dry before mixing to avoid excess liquid that could make the cheese ball too soft or runny.
- Achieve Perfect Texture: Let cream cheese soften completely at room temperature for smooth blending and easier shaping without lumps.
- Enhance Make-Ahead Potential: Prepare the cheese ball up to 2 days in advance and store tightly wrapped in refrigerator to develop richer, more integrated flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg