Cheese Ball Recipe

A flavorful cheese ball is a perfect, easy-yet-elegant appetizer to offer up as part of a mouthwatering cheese board, or to enjoy at a holiday gathering. My recipe is kissed with a touch of blue cheese and then rolled in candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and herbs, giving it some sweet and savory flavor with crunch!

A perfectly cheesy appetizer

The term "cheese ball" kind of makes the eternal kid in me chuckle.

Sometimes my hubby and I jokingly call ourselves a couple of "cheese balls," especially when we're being extra silly and in a particularly goofy mood. We come up with all sorts of ridiculousness for our own amusement.

When I had the thought to create a tasty cheese appetizer recipe that'd be fun to share for game days or festive occasions, I figured a classic-style cheese ball recipe would be deliciously fitting, indeed! Something with some vibrant colors and super delicious-yet-slightly-sophisticated flavors would be perfect.

And so, my cheese ball recipe is kissed with a generous hint of blue cheese and rolled in a scrumptious crumble of ingredients that are both sweet and savory, and loaded with lots of vibrant color and texture.

It's the perfect cheese appetizer to enjoy with your favorite crackers or even apple slices, making any occasion that much more a celebration of flavors!

My cheese ball recipe

What I really enjoy about a cheese ball appetizer is that it has such a great combination of flavors and textures in every bite.

Because I like the combination of sweet and savory for this recipe, I opt for a crunchy and crumbly outer coating. It consists of chopped candied walnuts, sweet, juicy pomegranate seeds, plus fresh herbs.

Then, there's the actual cheese ball itself, where one can get a little creative with the flavors...

For my recipe, I use a couple of types of cheeses. One of them is a cream cheese, which acts as the base for this recipe. The other is blue cheese, which offers the savory balance to the creaminess.

What I love about this recipe is that the flavor of the blue cheese doesn't overpower at all, so even those who aren't necessarily the biggest fans of eating blue cheese will enjoy this recipe.

The combination of these two rather creamy cheeses creates a slightly sophisticated flavor profile. It's a bit on the savory side, so it benefits from a couple sweeter ingredients as a coating to balance it out.

Something to keep in mind when preparing a cheese ball recipe is that you will need to allow a few hours for the cheese mixture to chill in the fridge. It needs to become firm enough so that it can be shaped into a ball (or even a log, if desired). Then, it can be rolled in the walnut/herb/pomegranate seed coating.

Here's a sneak peek at my cheese ball recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my softened, room temp cream cheese to a large bowl. Using a spatula, I blend it to make it slightly creamy.
2. I then add the blue cheese and the rest of the ingredients and fold those in until completely combined. (There should be little chunks of blue cheese throughout.)
3. Next, I spoon the mixture out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gather it up to shape it into as much of a ball shape as possible, wrapping tightly. (It will be quite soft at this point),
4. I place the mixture into the fridge and chill for at least 2 to 4 hours until firm (or even overnight).
5. When firm, I unwrap the cheese ball and make it as round as possible using my hands.
6. Finally, I roll the cheese ball in the mixture of candied walnuts, herbs, and pomegranate seeds to coat it well.
7. To serve, I place it onto a platter surrounded by buttery crackers, crisps, and even sliced apples.

Recipe

Cheese Ball Recipe

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This sweet and savory cheese ball recipe has a hint of blue cheese, and is rolled in chopped candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and herbs!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 16

Nutrition Info: 161 calories (per serving, about 1 ½ ounces)

Prep Time: 20 minutes (does not include chill time for cheese ball)
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Cheese Ball Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 6 ounces blue cheese (about a full, slightly packed cup), crumbled into small pieces/chunks
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch salt (about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon)
• Pinch black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chopped parsley

Coating Mixture Ingredients:

• ¾ cup candied walnuts, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your cheese ball ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese blocks and the sour cream, and using a spatula, mix and combine these together just to make them softer and smoother, and more pliable.
3. Add in the remainder of the cheese ball ingredients including the blue cheese, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, and fold everything together until very well combined (you should still have little chunks/streaks of blue cheese throughout).
4. Then, scoop the cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap, and using the wrap to help, shape the mixture (which will be quite soft at this point) into a ball as best as you can, wrapping the plastic around it tightly.
5. Place the cheese ball mixture into the fridge for at least 2 to 4 hours (or even for a couple of days if making ahead), or until the mixture firms up.
6. Next, gather and prep all of your coating mixture ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
7. Prepare your coating by mixing together the chopped candied walnuts, the parsley, and the pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Then, place a large piece of wax paper or parchment paper on a work surface, and sprinkle this coating mixture evenly over that.
8. Unwrap your chilled/firmed cheese ball mixture, shape a little bit more with your hands if you'd like it to be a bit rounder (or shape into a log or oval, alternatively), then gently roll it in the coating mixture until well coated.
9. Place the coated cheese ball on a platter surrounded by your favorite crackers or even apple slices, and serve. (You can also cover it in plastic wrap at this point if you need to have it ready, and keep it chilled for a little longer; but don't do this too far in advance so the coating stays fresh/crunchy.)

Tips & tidbits for my cheese ball recipe:

• Room temp cheeses: Be sure to leave your cream cheese blocks and your blue cheese out for about an hour before mixing them together. You want them soft enough to easily blend, and to incorporate into one another.
• The blue cheese: I used a "cave aged" raw cow's milk blue cheese (in wedge form) for my recipe, because it has a softer consistency. I simply crumble off small chunks of it until I get the desired amount for the recipe. You can also use blue cheese crumbles for convenience, or your favorite kind.
• Other cheeses to add in: If you're not a fan of blue cheese, you can substitute goat cheese, or even use a grated white cheddar or gruyere. (Parmesan and cotija are not very good options, as they are grainy.)
• Go nuts: I love to use candied, roasted walnuts for this cheese ball recipe, but you can substitute plain toasted/roasted walnuts, or even pecans or cashews. Another good option is toasted pine nuts, or even roasted pistachios.
• Pomegranate seeds, or other sweet bits: That little burst of juice from pomegranate seeds is something that I like with this appetizer. But you could easily substitute dried cherries, dried cranberries, or even dried currants.
• Prepare ahead for an easy cheese ball: You can cream together your cheeses, shape and wrap in plastic, and keep chilled in the fridge for up to several days before you plan on serving the cheese ball. Just roll it in the outer coating before serving, and you're good to go!

Hungry for more delectably cheesy recipes? Check out my recipe for Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese Truffles, Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread, Whipped Goat Cheese, Marinated Mozzarella Balls, or even my recipe for Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!