What’s better than homemade cheese balls? The answer to that has to be cheese balls 4 ways! You can have fun making these and then with the taste and comparison test.
Which one are you going to find the tastiest – bacon cheddar and ranch, cranberry pecan, dill chive, or garlic? Cheese balls are endlessly versatile and you can use any kind of grated cheese to make them, along with cream cheese, sour cream, or other dairy favorites.
They’re equally good on a buffet table or paired with a charcuterie board. You can also prepare cheese balls ahead and then just keep them chilled until it’s time to serve them, perhaps paired with crackers or sliced baguette. You can also have them with vegetable crudites.
There’s no wrong occasion for cheese balls, only right ones! Try them with a favorite wine. You simply can’t go wrong with such a simple recipe, and it’s great that you can choose which ones to make depending on your palate.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe:
Cheese balls are really easy to make. You can choose whichever one or ones you want from the above 4 or even prepare one of each since each one has its own merits. This simple recipe simply involves mixing the ingredients together, chilling for a few hours, and rolling in crushed nuts or other coatings.
How to Serve Them:
Cheese balls can be served with melba toast points, baguette slices, crackers, or vegetable crudites. If they’re going on a buffet table, you can offer some of each.
Ingredients:
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball:
- Cheddar cheese shredded
- Cream cheese softened
- Green onions chopped
- Ranch seasoning
- Bacon strips cooked and crumbled
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball:
- Pecans chopped
- Cream cheese softened
- Chives chopped
- Grated Gouda cheese
- Garlic powder
- Dried cranberries chopped
- Chopped pecans for coating
- Dried cranberries chopped for coating
- Chives chopped for coating
Dill Chive Cheese Ball
- Worcestershire sauce
- Cream cheese softened
- Dried dill
- Garlic powder
- Grated gouda cheese
- Chives chopped
- Dried dill for coating
Glorious Garlic Cheese Ball
- Sour cream
- Softened cream cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Sliced almonds for coating
How to make 4 Easy Cheese Balls:
Mix the ingredients for each cheese ball in a separate bowl for each one.
Form each mixture into a ball, and wrap up tightly in a piece of plastic wrap.
Chill for four hours.
Remove each cheese ball from the fridge, and roll in the designated coatings for each one.
Serve with your choice of items for dipping.
Whenever you’re in the mood for something cheesy, creamy and rich, a homemade cheese ball recipe is always a great bet. There’s no way you aren’t going to love the incredible flavors. Also, making your own cheese balls means you’re only spending about a third of what you’d spend purchasing a readymade one.
4 Easy Cheese Balls
Ingredients
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball:
- ½ C. Cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz. Cream cheese softened
- ¼ C. Green onions chopped
- ½ Packet or Ranch seasoning
- 4 Bacon strips cooked and crumbled
- 2 More strips of bacon cooked and crumbled for coating
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball:
- ½ C. Pecans chopped
- 8 oz. Cream cheese softened
- 2 Tbsp. Chives chopped
- ¾ C. Grated Gouda cheese
- ½ tsp. Garlic powder
- ½ C. Dried cranberries chopped
- ½ C. Chopped pecans for coating
- ½ C. Dried cranberries chopped for coating
- 2 Tbsp. Chives chopped for coating
Dill Chive Cheese Ball
- ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz. Cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp. Dried dill
- ½ tsp. Garlic powder
- ½ C. Grated gouda cheese
- 2 Tbsp. Chives chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Dried dill for coating
Glorious Garlic Cheese Ball
- ¼ C. Sour cream
- 8 oz. Softened cream cheese
- ½ C. Shredded cheddar cheese
- 2-3 tsp. Minced garlic
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ C. Sliced almonds for coating
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for each cheese ball in a separate bowl for each one.
- Form each mixture into a ball, and wrap up tightly in a piece of plastic wrap.
- Chill for four hours.
- Remove each cheese ball from the fridge, and roll in the designated coatings for each one.
- Serve with your choice of items for dipping.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
You can prepare these up to a day ahead if you wish. Just keep them in the fridge until serving.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers (there probably won’t be any!) can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, preferably covered (or wrapped in plastic wrap or foil) to stop them drying out.
Variations and Substitutions:
You can make one or more of the above recipes as written, or mix and match. As long as you have some type of soft cheese and some sort of shredded cheese, the other ingredients are up to you. Choose from fruit, herbs, spices, minced veggies, bacon, nuts, and other seasonings. Perhaps you will end up with a brand new favorite cheese ball recipe.
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