Cheese Ball Recipe

This Classic Cheese Ball Recipe is the perfect quick and easy crowd-pleasing party appetizer. It’s made with shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, green onion, and spices and is coated in chopped pecans.

Love cheese balls? Check out my Pineapple Cheese Ball Recipe.

‘Tis the season for fun food and party appetizers. From gooey baked buffalo chicken dip and crab-stuffed mushrooms to this positively addictive classic cheese ball, I’ve got all your holiday and game day eats covered.

A cheese ball is exactly as the name describes—a ball of (mostly) cheese. A hallmark party food, cheese balls tend to evoke a sense of childhood nostalgia from Christmas parties past.

Reasons You’ll Love This Classic Cheese Ball

1. Low-maintenance: Cheese balls can be made up to five days in advance and travel well, making them a much-needed beacon of simplicity, especially during the chaos of the holidays.
2. It’s a blank slate: Well, kinda. You can use this cheese ball recipe as a blank canvas to dream up the cheese ball of your dreams. Add your favorite cheeses, herbs, nuts, fruit, and spices, or roll in different toppings, such as nuts, herbs, or bacon.
3. Designed for sharing: Serve with crackers and bread, and guests can gather around and eat.

Key Ingredients

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• Cream cheese: The base of the cheeseball. Cream cheese has a smooth, rich, creamy texture with a slightly tangy flavor. For best results, use full-fat cream cheese.
• Seasoning: This cheese ball recipe is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt.
• Chopped pecans: Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts are rolled onto the outside of the cheese ball for texture and an earthy flavor.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese gives the cheese ball a robust and tangy flavor that contrasts nicely with the cream cheese.
• Monterey Jack cheese: Unlike cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese is mild and buttery with hints of tanginess and sweetness. Feel free to substitute with additional cheddar, or for a bit of kick, try using shredded Pepper Jack instead.
• Green onions: This recipe uses only the green parts of the green onions. They add a mild onion flavor that cuts through the richness of the cream cheese.

How to Make a Homemade Cheese Ball

1. Combine the ingredients: Use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until combined, then fold in one-half cup of the pecans, the shredded cheese, and the chopped green onions.

2. Form the cheese ball: Lay a large piece of plastic wrap out on a clean countertop or flat surface and place the cheese mixture on top. Gather the corners of the plastic wrap at the top and twist until tight. Form the cheese mixture into a ball and cover it with another sheet of plastic wrap.

3. Refrigerate: Place the wrapped cheese ball in a medium bowl to help maintain its shape. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.

4. Coat in pecans: Just before serving, place the remaining cup of chopped pecans on a plate in an even layer. Remove the cheese ball from the plastic wrap and carefully roll it in the pecans, covering the entire surface (you may need to gently press the nuts into the cheese ball with your hands).

5. Serve with crostini or crackers and garnish with freshly minced parsley if desired.

How to Serve

For easy spreading, remember to serve your cheese ball platter with 1-2 cheese spreader knives.

• Crackers and bread are the most popular accompaniments to this classic cheese ball. I usually include a variety of butter (e.g., Ritz or Club crackers), multigrain, and water crackers. I’ll also include crostini or baguette slices for something a little sturdier.
• Fresh vegetables are perfect for guests looking to avoid carbs but not cheese! Try the classics, like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes.
• Tiny pickles (aka gherkins or cornichons) are the perfect tangy contrast to the creaminess of the cheese.
• Grissini (crispy twisted breadsticks) are great for easy dipping and spreading. Pretzels are also good, but this Italian version feels “fancier.”

How to Make Ahead

You may make this cheese ball recipe can be made up to 5 days in advance. Prepare the cheese ball mixture as outlined, then form it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for up to five days. Wait to coat the cheese ball in nuts until just before serving to keep them fresh and crunchy.

Tips for the Best Chees Ball Recipe

• Allow enough time for the cream cheese to reach room temperature. This will make for much easier mixing.
• Shred your own cheese using a Box Cheese Grater. The flavor is fresher and will taste better.
• You can customize your recipe with fresh parsley, chives, dill, finely chopped green onions, bell peppers, bacon bits, or chopped olives. You can even add some umami flavor with a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
• Experiment with shapes. Get creative and try shaping your cheese ball into a log, mini balls for individual servings, or themed shapes for parties and holidays (football, pumpkin, or snowman).
• Serve with a variety of dippers (see suggestions above).

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Transfer your leftover cheese ball to an airtight storage container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best results, remove the cheese ball from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly.

Freezing: I have not tried freezing this cheese ball recipe. If you do, consider that 1) cream cheese tends to become crumbly and grainy once thawed due to the separation of water and fat during the freezing process, and 2) the pecans may become stale during freezing and thawing.

More Easy Appetizers

• Beer Cheese Recipe
• Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
• Dill Dip Recipe
• Buffalo Chicken Sliders
• Greek Meatballs
• Pimento Cheese Recipe

BROWSE all of my delicious APPETIZERS.