Description
A festive and creamy cheese ball with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) block-style cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz (115 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese and sharp cheddar at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar, sour cream, salt, pepper, rosemary, orange zest, and chopped cranberries until well combined.
- Form the mixture into a ball using lightly oiled hands.
- Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Once chilled, press the chopped toasted pecans and some extra cranberries onto the outside of the cheese ball.
- Serve with crackers, sliced baguette, and raw vegetable sticks.
Notes
Toasting the pecans boosts their flavor and helps them adhere better to the cheese ball. Chill for longer for a firmer shape.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-cook assembly
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 25mg