This Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball is so festive for the holidays and easily made with only 5 ingredients.  Make it the day before for a worry-free holiday celebration.  Serve it with your favorite crackers, pretzels or veggies.

I love making this easy, no-bake appetizer for Christmas and New Year’s.  It is so flavorful and budget-friendly during the expensive, holiday season.  I like to have my kids help with make this gooey goodness.  It is a great excuse for them to get their hands a little dirty.

Needed Ingredients

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
• 1/2 C. Pecans + 1/3 C. for topping, roughly chopped
• 1/2 C. Dried Cranberries
• 1/3 C. Green Onion; thinly sliced horizontally
• 1 2/3 C. Shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Tsp. Dried Parsley (optional)

Instructions

• Roughly chop the pecans and add a 1/2 C. to a mixing bowl with the cream cheese.
• Sprinkle the remaining pecans with dried parsley (optional).
• Add the green onion, dried cranberries, and white cheddar cheese.
• Combine with a large wooden spoon or spatula.
• Finish combining with your hands before forming into an even ball-shape.
• Roll the ball onto the remaining pecans until evenly coated.
• Wrap the cheeseball with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. 
• I recommend letting it refrigerate overnight to allow for the flavors to really set.
• Serve with your favorite crackers, pretzels or veggie sticks.

Recipe Tips

It is important to ensure that your cream cheese is softened to room temperature.  This will allow you to easily incorporate the other ingredients into the cheese ball.  I use a spatula to start combining the ingredients and roughly mix by hand.  The cheese mixture remains firm enough to easily roll into a ball.  Once you have a nice shape, roll the ball onto a cutting board with the roughly chopped pecans.  I like to sprinkle a bit of dried parsley over my pecans before rolling.  It adds a nice bit of additional color for this festive, holiday appetizer.

Variations

This recipe can easily be tweaked to taste.  Feel free to switch out half of the white cheddar and add a bit of Gorgonzola or feta cheese for a more sophisticated flavor.  You can switch out the green onion for chives if preferred.  Mix in some of your favorite nuts in place of the pecans.  I would love to try it with pistachios added as well.

More to Love

If you love this Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball, check out these other festive recipes to go with it.

Print

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

This Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball is so festive for the holidays and easily made with only 5 ingredients.  Make it the day before for a worry-free holiday celebration.  Serve it with your favorite crackers, pretzels or veggies.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Author: Holly

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
• 1/2 + 1/3 C. Pecans; roughly chopped
• 1/2 C. Dried Cranberries
• 1/3 C. Green Onion; thinly sliced horizontally
• 1 2/3 C. Shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Tsp. Dried Parsley

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the pecans and add a 1/2 C. to a mixing bowl with the cream cheese.

   Sprinkle the remaining pecans with dried parsley (optional).

   Add the green onion, dried cranberries, and white cheddar cheese.

   Combine with a large wooden spoon or spatula.

   Finish combining with your hands before forming into an even ball-shape.

   Roll the ball onto the remaining pecans until evenly coated.

   Wrap the cheeseball with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. 

   I recommend letting it refrigerate overnight to allow for the flavors to really set.

   Serve with your favorite crackers, pretzels or veggie sticks.