Description
A festive and easy-to-make Cranberry Walnut Cheese Ball, perfect as a flavorful holiday appetizer served with crackers or chips.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ¾ cup walnuts (chopped)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries (chopped)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
For Serving
- crackers (pita chips, pretzels, etc.)
Instructions
- Toast Walnuts: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add walnuts. Toast nuts, stirring often, for 5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
- Mix Walnut-Cranberry Mixture: Transfer toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and parsley into a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, add cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and half of the walnut-cranberry mixture. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheese mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up. Also cover the remaining walnut-cranberry mixture with plastic wrap.
- Shape Cheese Ball: Using wax paper, shape the chilled cheese mixture into a ball. Roll the cheese ball in the remaining walnut-cranberry mixture to coat evenly.
- Serve: Arrange the cheese ball with crackers, pita chips, pretzels, or your favorite dippers for serving.
Notes
- This cheese ball is a quick and festive appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings.
- Toasting walnuts enhances their flavor but watch closely as they can burn easily.
- Using a hand mixer makes combining cheeses and ingredients easier and smoother.
- Chilling the mixture overnight helps the cheese ball hold its shape better.
- Substitute parsley with fresh chives or green onions for a different herb flavor.
- Try different cheese varieties like sharp gouda or pepper jack to customize the taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 176 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 122 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 29 mg
