Cheese Ball Recipe
on Nov 11, 2023, Updated Dec 04, 2024
Easy Cheese Ball Recipe made with cream cheese, green onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. This classic appetizer is always a hit for the holidays!
This Cheese Ball Recipe is a Classic!
A cheese ball is a delicious addition to any holiday party, and a tradition that I grew up with, like many others did.
This is my go to recipe for an easy and tasty cheese ball that only uses simple ingredients and comes together in just a few minutes. A classic favorite that is always a hit for the holidays!
No matter your skill level, you can make this recipe and impress your family and friends!
This delicious appetizer is so flavorful and has that perfect contrast of crunch in the pecans. Fresh green onions, cream cheese, and a few simple spices add just the right amount of flavor for every bite.
You can find the full ingredients and instructions at the bottom of this post, but here is what you’ll need to make this recipe.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: freshly grated
- Green Onions
- Chopped Pecans
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
How to make a Cheese Ball
Step 1: First, allow your cream cheese to soften for a few minutes. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, this may take around 30 minutes or so.
Step 2: Once softened, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, fresh chopped green onions, salt, and pepper until combined with a hand mixer.
Step 3: Grate 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese and beat that in.
Joy’s Tip
I always recommend that you take the extra few minutes to grate your cheese fresh. It really makes all the difference in flavor!
Step 4: Cover and chill the filling mixture in the fridge for around an hour or so to firm it up. This will help make it easier to form the cheese ball.
Make It Ahead
If you want to make this ahead, you can leave the batter overnight in the fridge, then just finish rolling and shaping it right before serving.
Step 5: Once you are ready to make the cheese ball, use greased hands and a spatula to form the mixture into a ball shape.
Recipe Tip
I first shaped the ball roughly with a spatula then sprayed my hands with olive oil spray to finish shaping it and that worked perfectly. Oiling your hands will help keep the cheese ball batter from sticking too much.
Step 6: Next, roll the cheese ball in the pecan pieces until it is coated on all sides. You need about a cup of chopped up pecans.
Step 7: Place the chopped pecans in a bowl and roll the cheese ball until it is totally covered in chopped nuts on all sides.
Your cheese ball is now ready to serve!
Tips For Success
Grate the cheese yourself: Don’t skip grating the cheese yourself! The extra flavor and texture are just right for this recipe. I used sharp cheddar cheese, but medium cheddar would work just as well.
Buy pecan pieces: To save time, buy your pecans in pieces so you don’t have to spend time chopping them up.
Use a butter knife to serve this cheese ball.
Refrigerate until ready to serve: do not leave this out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
What crackers to serve with cheese ball
Personally, ritz crackers are my favorite cracker to serve with a cheese ball, but pretty much any cracker is going to be delicious!
- Triscuits
- Pita Chips
- Wheat Thins
- Pretzel Chips
- Club Crackers
Storing
Leftover cheese ball can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. I doubt they will last that long though. In our house any leftovers are quickly devoured!
Try this classic appetizer for the holidays!
Cheese Ball Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup fresh green onions, minced or finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup pecan pieces, see notes
Instructions
- Beat together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, green onions, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Grate the cheddar cheese block fresh.
- Beat the sharp cheddar cheese into the cream cheese mixture.
- Cover and chill the cheese ball mixture in the refrigerator for around an hour, until it begins to firm.
- Use a spatula and greased hands (I used olive oil spray on my hands) to form the cheese ball shape, then roll it in the pecans until it is coated on all sides.
- Serve with your favorite crackers and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This is my simple “go to” appetizer to bring to parties. In fact, it’s always requested by those who’ve had it. Sometimes I divide it and roll one in herbs and one in nuts. It feeds a LOT of happy people. I’ve made others but this combination works very well.
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe Kim, thanks for leaving a comment!
awesomness!
Excellent!! I split the cheese balls to make 2. I made one with pecans and the second one I didn’t use pecans! Super easy and delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas!
I made the cheese ball two days prior to a party. Four hours before guest arrived, I removed the cheese ball from three refrigerator and rolled in the pecans. I placed the ball on the serving plate, covered and let come to room temp for the party. It was enjoyed and completely gone before guests left. Slight changes: I used fresh chives from my garden (in place of the green onions) and added a dash of cayenne pepper. Will definitely make again.
Also should we roast the pecan nuts or use as is?
I use raw pecans for this
Hi can we use walnuts instead of Pecans?
What size cream cheese package?
You need 16 oz of cream cheese. Typically they come in 8 oz blocks, so you would need two.