Description
Festive holiday cheer meets creamy delights in this Rudolph Christmas Cheese Ball, perfect for spreading seasonal joy at gatherings. Guests will love its playful reindeer design and rich, tangy flavor that brings Christmas spirit right to the appetizer table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Base:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
Spices and Seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Decoration:
- ¼ cup crushed pecans or crushed pretzels
- 2 large pretzel sticks
- 1 red candy or cherry tomato
- 2 candy eyes or small rounds of cream cheese/olives
Instructions
- In a spacious mixing vessel, thoroughly blend softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar, tangy sour cream, aromatic garlic powder, zesty onion powder, warm paprika, delicate salt, and cracked pepper until the mixture achieves a smooth, uniform consistency.
- Gently shape the creamy amalgamation into a perfectly rounded sphere, ensuring compact formation and minimal air pockets.
- Encase the cheese formation completely in transparent plastic wrap, securing it tightly to maintain its structural integrity.
- Refrigerate the wrapped delicacy for a minimum of 60 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up completely.
- After chilling, carefully roll the cheese ball through a bed of crushed pecans or crisp pretzels, creating an even, textured exterior coating.
- Transfer the nut-encrusted sphere to an elegant serving platter, preparing for its festive transformation.
- Craft Rudolph’s distinctive features by strategically positioning two candy eyes to capture his playful essence.
- Insert crisp pretzel sticks at the top of the cheese ball, angling them to mimic realistic antler branches.
- Complete the whimsical character by placing a vibrant red candy or petite cherry tomato to represent his iconic glowing nose.
- Present alongside an assortment of crisp crackers, crunchy pretzels, or fresh vegetable batons for delightful dipping.
Notes
- Customize the cheese ball’s flavor by experimenting with different cheese combinations like sharp cheddar, monterey jack, or gouda for unique taste profiles.
- For a gluten-free version, replace pretzel coating with crushed nuts like almonds or use gluten-free crackers for decoration and serving.
- Make the cheese ball ahead of time and refrigerate up to 3 days before serving to enhance flavor melding and reduce day-of preparation stress.
- Create lighter variations by using reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream without compromising delicious holiday spirit.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg