Harvest Cranberry Cheeseball

A cranberry cheeseball with a portion taken off it revealing the creamy interior.

Harvest Cranberry Cheeseball

This harvest cranberry cheeseball is a creamy, festive appetizer filled with white cheddar, pecans, and cranberries. Quick to prep in just 15 minutes, it’s perfect for making ahead of the holidays.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 15

Chill time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 389kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, softened (2 blocks)
1 cup white cheddar cheese shredded
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
Crackers for serving

Instructions

Place pecans, dried cranberries and thyme and pulse until everything is well mixed and ground into small pieces. Set aside.
Mix both cheeses, salt, pepper and onion powder until well combined.
Add half of the nut mixture and mix again until well combined.
Lay out a sheet or two of plastic wrap (cross them) onto a clean surface and place the cheese mixture into the center of it. Pull up the sides of the plastic wrap to use as a barrier so you can shape it without getting your hands dirty.
Shape into a rough ball shape and cover with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Once chilled, remove plastic wrap and roll into remaining nut mixture. It helps to use your hands to press the mixture into the cheese ball so that it sticks to the outside. Serve immediately with your favorite crackers.

Video

Notes

Let the cream cheese soften before mixing. This makes everything blend much more easily.
Give the pecans, cranberries, and thyme a quick blitz in the food processor. It makes the process easier, but you can always chop them by hand if you prefer.
Use freshly shredded cheddar if you can. The texture is a lot creamier and blends into the cream cheese more smoothly than pre-shredded.
Plastic wrap is your best friend. It keeps the mixture contained and helps you shape it neatly without sticky hands.
If you want to lighten it up, you can use reduced-fat cream cheese without losing much flavor.
Don’t stress about making it perfectly round. Once it’s coated, no one notices if it’s a little rustic.
Chill for at least an hour so the ball firms up and holds its shape when serving.
Ingredients to prep ahead- Shred the cheese and chop the nut mixture a day in advance.
Leftovers and storage- This cheeseball keeps well wrapped in plastic for up to a week in the fridge.

Nutrition