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    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Holidays > Party Food Recipes

    Very Merry Cheese Ball Recipes

    Published: Nov 26, 2012 · Modified: Feb 26, 2020 by Melissa · 2 Comments

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    Cheese ball season is here! Are you as excited as I am?! A few weeks ago I did a cheese ball making demonstration for the ladies at church and it was a big hit. We got to eat all of the wares with lunch and I was in cheese ball heaven.

    My love of cheese balls came from my first job working at a deli in Columbus, Indiana. Two of the cheese ball recipes are actually from that deli and I've been making them for years. The other two are just as amazing (cue the bacon). I actually made mini cheese balls and "cracker packs" to put on my neighbor treat plates last Christmas and I think they were my most popular item. I put the how to for the mini cheese balls back in this post.

    I hope this gets you excited for all of the parties coming up! Happy Holidays to you...

    how to make cheese balls, bacon cheese balls, sweet cheese ball recipe,
    Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball
    2 packages cream cheese
    1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
    1 T. dill weed
    1 t. garlic powder
    1 t. onion powder
    1 T. chives (fresh or freeze dried), optional
    Salt to taste
    1 pound bacon, cooked crisp and finely crumbled
    Mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, spices, and ¼ of a cup of crumbled bacon together in a medium bowl until well combined.  Taste with a cracker and adjust seasonings as needed and add salt if desired. Spread the remaining crumbled bacon out on a plate. Form the cheese mixture into a ball using your hands and roll in the bacon crumbles. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Serve with your favorite crackers.
    Notes: Block cheese that you shred at home (opposed to shredded cheese in a bag) works better here and lends to a smoother texture.
    bacon cheddar ranch cheese ball recipe, recipe for cream cheese balls

    Pineapple Cheese Ball

    2 packages cream cheese
    1 small can crushed pineapple, well drained
    Chopped nuts for rolling, optional
    In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and well drained pineapple, mix until well combined.  Form the cheese mixture into a ball using your hands and roll in the chopped nuts if desired. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Serve with your favorite crackers.

    Notes: This one sounds boring but it is always a crowd-pleaser!

    beef and onion cheese ball recipe, pineapple cheese ball recipe

    Beef and Onion Cheese Ball

     

    2 packages cream cheese
    5 green onions, green part only, chopped
    ½ cup finely chopped roast beef
    ½ to 1 t. garlic powder
    2-3 T. Worcestershire sauce
    salt, to taste
    chopped nuts for rolling, optional
    crackers for serving
    In a large bowl add the cream cheese, green onion, roast beef, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce (add the smaller amounts of the garlic powder and Worcestershire).  Using your clean hands, blend everything together really well. The heat from your hands really helps to work everything together.  Taste with the crackers you are using.  Add salt if needed and more Worcestershire or garlic powder as needed.  Taste again and adjust accordingly.
    To make a party-sized cheese ball, scrape as much of the cream cheese mixture as you can from the bowl into your hands.  Pat and roll in between your hands to form a ball.  Roll in nuts if you are going to, reshape, and then wrap in plastic wrap.  Let it firm up in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
    beef and onion cheese ball recipe, how to make cheese balls, deli cheese ball recipe

    Monster Cookie Dough Dip

    8 oz. cream cheese, softened
    ½ cup butter, softened
    1 cup creamy peanut butter
    1 cup powdered sugar
    3 Tbsp. brown sugar
    1 tsp. vanilla
    1 cup oats (regular or quick)
    1 cup  miniature plain M&Ms
    1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
    Mix cream cheese through oats together in a medium bowl until well combined.  Spread the M&M’s and mini chocolate chips out on a plate. Form the mixture into a ball using your hands and roll in the M&M’s and chocolate chips. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Serve with graham crackers, animal crackers, or vanilla wafers.
    sweet cheese ball, cookie dough dip, PB cookie dough cheese ball, Monster cookie dip recipe

    Printable Recipe (all 4 cheese balls)
    Recipe Sources:
    Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball: Bless This Mess Original
    Pineapple Cheese Ball: From the The Big Cheese Deli in Columbus, Indiana
    Beef and Onion Cheese Ball: Adapted from The Big Cheese Deli in Columbus, Indiana
    Monster Cookie Dough Cheese Ball: Skip To My Lou

    Which cheese ball are you most excited to try?

     Thanks for stopping in,

    post signature

    Keep in touch! Blogging is way more fun when I get a chance to connect with you.
    I frequent Facebook and Pinterest most, so by all means, tag along and say hello.
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    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

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    1. Carla

      December 08, 2013 at 6:16 am

      I know you wrote this post last year, but I found it this morning via Pinterest. I think my favorite is the monster one (although I want all four!) Love the idea of mini cheeseballs for a gift. Not that they are healthy or anything, but it sure beats getting a million dozen cookies at once 😉

      Reply
    2. AradiseDP

      January 04, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      Pineapple one sounds heavenly!

      Reply

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