Easy Cheese Ball Recipe

Published December 21, 2018. Updated January 17, 2024

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This Cheese Ball recipe is a holiday must ever year! It’s incredibly easy to make and it only requires a few simple ingredients. It has a deliciously creamy texture, it’s brimming with rich and cheesy flavor, and who doesn’t love that nutty pecan finish for a contrasting crunch?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.

Best Cheese Ball Recipe

The Best Cheese Ball Recipe!

Growing up my mom always made a cheeseball around the holidays and we would polish it off in no time. Not much has changed because now I’m doing the same thing for my family. (This cheese ball also makes our Super Bowl party food list!)

This is my go-to cheese ball recipe. It’s nothing fancy and far cheaper than creating some extravagant cheese board.

Just good old fashioned comfort food with the classic cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

In this version of mine I also like to add sour cream for extra creaminess and for a softer texture, then I like to add garlic powder, onion powder and a bit of black pepper for flavor.

I’d recommend skipping the salt though, I know normally salt and pepper just go together but there’s already plenty in the ingredients and the crackers you’ll be serving it with.

Close up image of Cheese Ball

Watch the Video (1 Min)!

 

Ingredients Needed for This Cheese Ball:

  • Cream cheese – the key ingredient to a good cheese ball.
  • Sour cream – adds extra creaminess and makes it softer.
  • Garlic powder – adds extra flavor.
  • Onion powder  – adds extra flavor.
  • Pepper – adds a faint background spice, skip the salt or it will be too salty.
  • Cheddar cheese – cheddar gives it that classic flavor we remember.
  • Pecans – the cheese ball would be a mess without these. They add nice crunch too.

Cheese Ball Ingredients

As always I chose to use Fisher Pecans in this recipe. Fisher is a brand I love because:

  • They’re always a perfectly delicious, high-quality product.
  • There’s no added preservatives and they’re non-GMO. Just the nuts right out of their shell.
  • The convenient stand-up bag actually helps keep the nuts fresher longer.
  • And I especially love them for holiday cooking and baking! They also make a great healthy snack.

How to Make a Cheese Ball from Scratch:

  • Add cream cheese, sour, garlic powder and onion powder and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
  • (Sorry I actually added the powders in the next step since I forgot in the first, it will distribute more evenly to add at the beginning).

Showing how to make a cheeseball. Mixing cream cheese sour cream and seasoning in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer.

  • Mix in cheese (with electric mixer).
  • Cover bowl and chill 1 hour to help firm it up.

Mixing shredded cheddar into cheese ball mixture.

  • Shape into a ball using a spatula then with greased hands.

Forming chilled cheese ball mixture in bowl into a ball with a spatula.

  • Place pecans in a medium bowl. Roll cheese ball through pecans to cover entirely.
  • Serve with crackers, using a butter knife for spreading. Store in refrigerator.

Rolling cheese ball through chopped pecans in a mixing bowl.

Homemade Cheese Balls Are Best!

How many of us are just tempted to grab one of those cheese balls from the deli? Already made and ready to serve. Skip it. This homemade version is way better!

Tips for the Best Cheese Balls:

  • Skip the pre-shredded cheeses here. The freshly shredded has a better flavor and doesn’t have the added powdery coating. Mild or sharp cheddar will work here too if that’s what you prefer.
  • Chop the pecans into small bits, that way they’ll coat better and be better for spreading.
  • Don’t skip the chill step or you likely won’t be able to shape the mixture into a ball.
  • Let it rest at room temperature before serving for a softer consistency.
  • Use a butter knife for spreading. I don’t know why so many of us try to just dive right in with a cracker always to find it broken in half.

Cheese ball on a serving platter with crackers around it.

Can I Mix it By Hand?

If you don’t have an electric mixer you could also mix this by hand. Let the cream cheese soften well then just use a wooden spoon and stir stir stir.

How Long Can It Sit Out?

Because of the dairy in this for food safety it shouldn’t be left sitting unrefrigerated for longer than two hours.

How Long Does a Cheese Ball Keep For?

This will keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 week. It’s perfect for making ahead of your Christmas party or Super Bowl party menu!

Cheese ball on a serving plate with crackers.

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Cheese Ball
4.95 from 18 votes

Cheese Ball Recipe

This Cheese Ball is a holiday must ever year! It's incredibly easy to make and it only requires a few simple ingredients. It has a deliciously creamy texture, it's brimming with rich and cheesy flavor, and who doesn't love that nutty pecan finish for a contrasting crunch?
Servings: 16
Prep15 minutes
Cook1 hour
Chill1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add cream cheese, sour, garlic powder and onion powder and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
  • Mix in cheese (with electric mixer). Cover bowl and chill 1 hour to help firm it up.
  • Shape into a ball using a spatula then with greased hands.
  • Place pecans in a medium bowl. Roll cheese ball through pecans to cover entirely.
  • Serve with crackers, using a butter knife for spreading. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

  • It's best to let it rest at room temperature to help it soften up for about 20 minutes. Don't sit at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
Nutrition Facts
Cheese Ball Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 211 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 184mg8%
Potassium 88mg3%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 570IU11%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 142mg14%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.