Mini Cheese Balls

These Mini Cheese Balls are the perfect holiday party appetizer! The bite-sized cheese balls are coated in a festive combination of dried cranberries, nuts, green onions, and parsley. They are a delicious, easy way to enjoy a cheese ball!

Love easy, bite-sized appetizers? Check out my Greek Phyllo Hummus Bites and Cranberry Brie Bites!

Kelley’s Tips

Before You Get Started

• Use Softened Cream Cheese: Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened for easy mixing and a smooth texture.
• Finely Chop the Toppings: Chop the cranberries, nuts, green onions, and parsley small enough to evenly coat the cheeseballs.
• Use a Cookie Scoop: A small cookie scoop ensures evenly sized cheeseballs without the mess.

Ingredients Needed

• Softened cream cheese: Is the base of the cheese ball. Make sure to use full fat cream cheese for the best flavor!
• Sour cream: Typical cheeseballs call for just cream cheese however I like the tang the sour cream gives to the cheese balls! If you don’t have sour cream you can add a tablespoon or so of fresh squeezed lemon juice.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds a bold savory flavor.
• Garlic powder: I add garlic to everything and cheese balls are no exception!
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Use freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, rather than pre-shredded which tends to give cheese balls a weird texture.
• Toppings: Dried cranberries, chopped nuts and fresh herbs!

How To Make Mini Cheese Balls

• Blend ingredients. Add cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, scallions and garlic powder to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until everything is combined. If you don’t have a stand mixer this can be done in the food processor or by hand with some elbow grease!
• Add cheese. Fold in the cheddar cheese by hand.

3. Scoop cheese balls. Portion into tablespoon size balls.
4. Separate the toppings. Add the cranberries, green onions and parsley and nuts to three separate shallow bowls.

5. Roll balls in toppings. Dip each cheese ball into one of the desired toppings and roll around to coat the cheese ball. Then roll the cheese ball between your hands (this will get the toppings to stick.)
6. Chill and serve. Place in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Serve as is or with a pretzel stick in them!

Recipe

Mini Cheese Balls

5 from 1 vote

These Mini Cheese Balls are the perfect holiday party appetizer! The bite-sized cheese balls are coated in a festive combination of dried cranberries, nuts, green onions, and parsley. They are a delicious, easy way to enjoy a cheese ball!

Author: Kelley Simmons

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 0 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Serves 12 cheese balls

Rate SaveSaved Print

Ingredients 

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Toppings

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup nuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Instructions

• Add cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, scallions and garlic powder to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

  Mix on medium speed until everything is combined.
  
• Fold in the cheddar cheese by hand.
  
• Portion into tablespoon size balls.
  
• Add the cranberries, green onions and parsley and nuts to three separate shallow bowls.
  
• Dip each cheese ball into one of the desired toppings and roll around to coat the cheese ball.

  Then roll the cheese ball between your hands (this will get the toppings to stick)
  
• Place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

  Serve as is or with a pretzel stick in them!
  

Nutrition Information

Calories: 111kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 448IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 0.2mg

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