Cheese Ball is a classic holiday appetizer that’s very easy to prepare and tastes amazing. This cheese ball has a rich ranch flavor and lots of delicious sharp cheddar cheese.
This conversation has been sponsored by Westminster English Cheddar Cheese. All opinions and photographs are my own.
Cheese Ball
Cheese ball makes a wonderful appetizer for holidays and parties. Why is it beloved by so many people? Because everyone loves cheese, of course.
I am definitely a fan of all things cheesy. Cheese makes a wonderful snack and compliments just about every dish. The sharper and the more flavorful the cheese, the better the whole dish becomes.
Best ingredients truly do make the best tasting dishes. That’s why it’s so important to choose the best tasting cheese for your cheese ball. I highly recommend more flavorful, sharp cheddar cheese.
Choose one that’s been aged longer too. The flavor will she sharper, more intense, and it will have a delightful little touch of sweetness.
I’m absolutely over the moon with Westminster Sharp Cheddar Cheese. It’s aged 12 months and has wonderful, sharp flavors.
How to make a cheese ball:
One of the reasons cheese ball appetizer is so popular is because it’s super simple to make.
It basically breaks down to three steps: mix ingredients, refrigerate, and coat in topping.
Start by beating cream cheese, sour cream and ranch seasoning mix together until all smooth.
Stir in cheddar cheese, parsley, and chives until incorporated throughout.
Wrap the cheese mixture in saran wrap and shape it into the ball. Place in a deep soup bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready, roll the cheese ball in crushed almonds and parsley mixture.
Tip: coat the cheese ball right before serving to keep the nuts crunchy.
How to make mini cheese balls:
This cheese ball is super easy to make into individual cheese ball bites.
Prepare the recipe as stated and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (You don’t have to shape it into a ball but do cover it air-tight.)
Use a cookie scoop to scoop out even amounts of the cheese mixture and roll the into small cheese balls. Roll each ball in crushed almonds and parsley mixture.
Insert pretzel sticks into each mini cheese ball.
Some other cheese appetizers to try:
Leftover Cheese and Potato Bites
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Ranch Cheddar Cheese Ball
This cheese ball has a rich ranch flavor and lots of delicious sharp cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 oz Ranch seasoning mix (1 packet)
- 3 tbsp minced chives
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Westminster sharp cheddar cheese
Topping:
- 1 1/4 cups lightly salted almonds
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
Instructions
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and Ranch seasoning mix in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until completely smooth.
Add minced chives, minced parsley, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything very well, until all is evenly incorporated.
Cover a deep soup bowl with a large piece of saran wrap and transfer the cheese mixture into it. Bring all edges of saran wrap together and twist. Make sure the ball is tightly wrapped and shape it into an even ball.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before coating it. (The cheese ball can be refrigerated overnight if needed.)
To easily crush whole almonds, place them into a zip-lock bag and use a meat tenderizer to crush almonds. Get some stress out but don't crush them too much or you will end up with nothing but crumbs.
Combine crushed almonds and parsley together and spread them out on a large cutting board.
Unwrap cheese ball and roll it in the crushed almond mixture.
Serve with your favorite crackers.
Recipe Notes
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.
Stacy says
Can this recipe be frozen a week ahead of time? Maybe rolled the day of serving it?
Leeann says
I don’t know about freezing, but I made two Sunday afternoon and kept them in the fridge until Friday morning to top and they were perfect. It holds together very well and the flavors meld great. My only substitution was I rolled them in crushed pretzels instead of nuts, but that was just my preference. The recipe is great, a huge crowd pleaser! Thank you!
LyubaB says
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Brandon says
Looks like you used fresh parsley. Is that right?
LyubaB says
Hi, Brandon! Yes, that is correct! 🙂