Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Recipe with Dried Cranberries
Delicious and easy to make, this cranberry pecan cheese ball recipe is made with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts. Perfect for fall or the holidays, this cheese ball cranberry recipe is sure to be a hit.
Here in the Midwest, cheese ball with cranberries is a popular Thanksgiving or Christmas appetizer. We tend to serve dips and cheese balls for just about every holiday or family gathering, but during the holidays, you’ll always find a cheese ball with cranberries on the appetizer table.
That’s why this cheese ball cranberry recipe is perfect for the holidays, plus it can be served as a Christmas appetizer or snack. The best part about this cranberry pecan cheese ball is that it only takes about 10-15 minutes from start to finish.
This cheese ball with cranberries is perfect because you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to feast then enjoy it during the festivities and holiday parties.
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What to serve with this cranberry pecan cheese ball?
Crackers. This is typically what we like to serve with any type of cheeseball cranberry recipe. You can choose your favorite crackers, generally, we go with Ritz crackers or Wheat Thins.
Pretzels. Some of our family members enjoy this cranberry cheese ball with pretzels. We always have pretzel sticks on hand for snacking and when we serve mini cheeseball bites.
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Recipe with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts
There is just something about cream cheese, cranberries, and pecans mixed together. It is a heavenly flavor that seems to become quite the crowd-pleaser, especially during the holidays! It’s certainly something the family will love indulging in at your next Christmas potluck or even Thanksgiving potluck!
Let’s just get right into the cheese ball cranberry recipe and make this delicious pecan cream cheese and cranberry appetizer shall we?
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients needed for the cranberry pecan cheese ball:
- 8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature so it is easy to mix)
- 1 cup shredded medium sharp cheddar
- ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- a ¼ tsp garlic powder
- a ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
How to make the cranberry pecan cheese ball:
- Start by toasting your pecans and walnuts in the oven at 400 degrees. To do this, put them on a baking tray and bake them for about 5 minutes.
- Once they are toasted, take them out of the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, half of the toasted pecans, half of the toasted walnuts, half of the cranberries, chives, garlic powder and onion powder, and mix until combined well.
- In a separate bowl or plate, add the remaining walnuts, dried cranberries, and pecans.
- Create a ball from the cheese mixture we just put together. I use gloves because it can become quite sticky.
- Roll the cheese ball into the cranberry and nut mixture. You want to make sure every inch of the cheese ball is covered so that every bite gives you a burst of flavor.
Once the cheese ball has been covered with cranberries and nuts, I like to transfer it over to a festive plate or something that will work for whatever occasion we are serving it for. I will then layer the crackers around the cheese ball to make it look presentable.
You can also serve it in a serving bowl or on a cheese board. There is no right or wrong way to serve this cheese ball cranberry appetizer.
Additional Ways to Serve This Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball:
Once you have everything mixed together, you can create tiny little balls and roll each individual ball into the nut mixture.
These will make mini cheese ball bites for guests to enjoy. You can then serve the mini balls on top of crackers or by poking a pretzel through the balls.
Print this cream ball cranberry recipe and save it for later!
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Recipe with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature so it is easy to mix)
- 1 c shredded medium sharp cheddar
- 1/2 c chopped dried cranberries
- 1/4 c chopped toasted pecans
- 1/4 c chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
Instructions
- Start by toasting your pecans and walnuts in the oven on 400 degrees. To do this, put them on a baking tray and bake for about 5 minutes.
- Once roasted, take them out of the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, half of the toasted pecans, half of the toasted walnuts, half of the cranberries, chives, garlic powder and onion powder, and mix until combined well.
- In a separate bowl or plate, add the remaining walnuts, dried cranberries, and pecans.
- Create a ball from the cheese mixture we just put together. I use gloves because it can become quite sticky.
- Roll the cheese ball into the cranberry and nut mixture. You want to make sure every inch of the cheese ball is covered.
- Serve with your favorite crackers!
