Celebrate the winter holidays with this colorful cheese ball! Looking for more holiday cheese recipe ideas? Check out our guide to building a cheese board for the holidays and get all the cheese you need for your Christmas or New Year’s Eve party in our online store.
A great cheese ball is a study in contrasts: a rich and creamy interior coated in crisp toppings like bacon, the umami punch of the cheese balanced by roasty toasty nuts or the brightness of dried fruit.
This festive cheese ball combines sweet and savory, spreadable and crunchy in one delicious bite. Serve it with crackers or bread along with a slew of other starters, or make it the centerpiece of a lavish cheese board.
Make prep easier by toasting the nuts and crisping the bacon up to 24 hours in advance. You can also blend the cheeses, dried fruit, and chives together and refrigerate them for up to one week before you serve. Form the balls and wrap them tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. Allow them to come to room temperature for a few hours before you roll them in the toppings and serve.
This festive cheese ball combines sweet and savory, spreadable and
crunchy in one delicious bite. Serve it with crackers or bread along
with a slew of other starters, or make it the centerpiece of a lavish
cheese board.
Preheat the oven to 400F and bake bacon on a lined baking sheet (silica or parchment). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until very crispy. Drain on a paper towel until cool and then cut into small pieces. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
Stir together softened cream cheese and cheddar until fully incorporated. Mix in the dried cranberries and chives.
Spread the toasted, chopped pecans onto a baking sheet and mix thoroughly with the chopped bacon.
Using gloves, form the cheese blend into a large, even ball shape. Store in a tupperware in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to fully combine. You can complete this step up to 7 days before you’re ready to assemble the cheese ball. For longer storage, wrap the ball tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
An hour before serving, roll the cheese ball on top of the pecan-bacon mixture until evenly and completely coated.
Serve with fresh apples and crackers. Enjoy!
Recipe Note
Make prep easier by toasting
the nuts and crisping the bacon up to 24 hours in advance. You can also
blend the cheeses, dried fruit, and chives together and refrigerate them
for up to one week before you serve. Form the balls and wrap them
tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil.
Allow them to come to room temperature for a few hours before you roll
them in the toppings and serve.
Jessica Sennett
Jessica Sennett is the founder and inventor of Cheese Grotto. Her whole life is cheese - seriously.
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