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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe

    December 28, 2020 | Updated March 22, 2021 | Heather Warburton

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    Holiday Cheese Ball in middle crackers and some spread on crackers with cheese spreader.

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies.

    This homemade Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe is a must have at holiday parties every year. It's a super simple appetizer to make with few ingredients that is going to be a big hit!

    We love having an assortment of appetizers for holiday gatherings and family celebrations. Set the food out and let everyone help themselves. No need to be standing over the stove or have your face in the oven the whole time your family is over. Appetizers make eating more fun, and leaves more time for family games and visiting. There is always a cheese ball surrounded with crackers and it has to be creamy, rich and flavorful. This cheese ball is exactly that! It is so easy to make and any cheese fan is going to fall in love with this super tasty appetizer.

    Holiday Cheese Ball in middle of crackers with side carved out using cheese spreader.

    Holiday Cheese Ball Ingredients

    • Cream Cheese
    • Shredded Gruyere Cheese
    • Shredded Swiss Cheese
    • Garlic Powder
    • Onion Powder
    • Salt & Pepper
    • Dried Parsley

    Tips for the Best Holiday Cheese Ball

    1. Use softened cream cheese so the mixing is a lot easier.
    2. Not sure about Gruyere cheese, use white cheddar, sharp cheddar, or a blend of your favorite cheeses.
    3. Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent and additives that can alter the texture and flavor.
    4. Want a little crunch, add some chopped pecans or peanuts to the outside with the parsley.
    5. Serve the cheese ball at room temperature so it is easier to carve and spread.
    6. Get creative! You can form and shape it into anything you want, snowman, log, tree, etc...
    Holiday Cheese Ball spread on some crackers.

    How to Make a Holiday Cheese Ball from Scratch

    1. In a stand mixer or with a hand beater, beat cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps. No mixer, use a wooden spoon or strong spatula.
    2. Beat in shredded cheeses, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper until the cheese is well blended.
    3. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and form the cheese into a ball, no need to be perfect it will get shaped later.
    4. Wrap the cheese in plastic wrap and then form the cheese into a more smoother ball.
    5. Chill the cheese ball for at least 1 hour.
    6. Unwrap and shape the ball into a more smooth ball if needed.
    7. Roll the cheese ball in parsley, or sprinkle the parsley over the ball and gently pat it down.
    8. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

    How to Make Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe in Advance

    This is a great recipe to make 1-2 days ahead. Once the parsley is all over the cheese ball, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. If you decide to add chopped nuts to the outside, add those before you set the cheese ball out to come to room temperature. If you store the nuts on the cheese for too long, they will  lose their nice crunch.

    How Long Can a Cheese Ball sit out?

    Once the cheese ball has come to room temperature it should not sit out for more than 2 hours.

    What to Serve with a Holiday Cheese Ball

    • Assortment of Crackers
    • Cut Up Veggies
    • Pretzels
    • Bagels
    • Sliced Deli Meat
    • Thinly Sliced Baguette or French Bread
    Top view of Holiday Cheese Ball in middle of crackers.

    More Delicious Appetizers

    • Everything Bagel Dip
    • Homemade Guacamole 
    • Sugared Cranberries
    • Fruit Salsa
    • Homemade Queso Cheese Dip
    • Onion Soup Mix Dip
    • Fruit Pizza
    • Turkey & Zucchini Meatballs

    Give this easy and delicious Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe a try at your next holiday party and let me know how it goes in the comments below, along with a star rating please! Pictures encouraged on Instagram with the hashtag #heathershomemadekitchen You can also follow me on Social Media to see what other crazy things my family and I are doing! If you like what you see, please share with your friends and family!

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    Holiday Cheese Ball in middle crackers and some spread on crackers with cheese spreader.
    Holiday Cheese Ball covered in green parsley surrounded by an assortment of crackers.
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    Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe

    This homemade Holiday Cheese Ball Recipe is a must have at holiday parties every year. It's a super simple appetizer to make with few ingredients that is going to be a big hit!
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Holiday Cheese Ball
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    plus chilling: 1 hour
    Servings: 12
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
    • 8 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
    • 4 oz swiss cheese, shredded
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1½ tablespoons parsley, dried

    Instructions

    • In a stand mixer or with hand beaters, beat the cream cheese until smooth and no lumps remain.
    • Beat in shredded cheeses, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper until the cheeses are well blended.
    • Scrape sides of bowls and shape cheese into a ball with the spatula. No need to make it perfect here, it will be shaped later.
    • Wrap the cheese in plastic wrap and gently smooth out the ball a bit.
    • Chill the cheese ball for at least 1 hour.
    • Unwrap and form cheese into a smooth ball or any other shape you prefer.
    • Roll the ball in the dried parsley, or sprinkle the parsley over the ball and gently pat it in.
    • Serve with assorted crackers and veggies.

    Notes

    If you don't have a stand mixer or hand beaters, you can mix it by hand with a strong spatula or wooden spoon. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 75mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 807IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please rate the recipe, leave a comment and tell me how much you loved it!
    Share the Recipe!Please share it and tag @heathershomemadekitchen and use #heathershomemadekitchen!

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    Hi, I'm Heather! A wife and mom of 3. I like to create and share homemade recipes from breakfast to dessert that the whole family will enjoy. Thank you for stopping by!

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