Anytime I make this cheese ball, it is a crowd favorite! So, I want to show you some variations for an easy and delicious cheese ball with only 5 ingredients!

About 32 years ago, one of my closest friends from high school hosted a baby shower for me. She served this cheese ball, and I fell in love with it.

It became one of my favorite things to make for get togethers or for just a simple appetizer at home.

One of the reasons I love it so much is that it is so creamy and mild. Most of the cheese ball recipes I have had in the past were cheddar cheese balls and they were much to bold for my taste.

Another wonderful thing about this recipe and that I recently started doing is making it into mini cheese balls.

ingredients for a cheese ball

2 – 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

1 small jar pimentoes, drained

chopped pecans

directions for making an easy and delicious cheese ball

cream cheese ball sitting inside glass measuring bowl

chopped pecans on top of wood island top

Mix all the above ingredients together, except for pecans.

Roll into a ball, then roll in chopped pecans.

And that’s it! It is that simple!

Christmas Cheese Ball

During the holidays I was making a charcuterie board to look like a Christmas tree. It dawned on me that if I made mini cheese balls they would resemble ornaments on the tree.

charcuterie board shaped like christmas tree rosemary sprigs to separate layers mini cheese ball layer kalamata olives layer grape tomatoe layer muenster cheese slice squares layer salami rounds for layer white cheese cut into star shape at top of tree and 3 cucumber slices for tree trunk

part of a christmas tree charcuterie board with rosemary sprigs mini cheese balls and salami rounds

Cheese Balls for New Year’s

Then, I made another charcuterie/snack board for New Year’s Eve and made these mini cream cheese balls to border the edge of my clock themed board.

charcuterie board on a wooden cutting board in the shape of a clock with numbers 1 throught 6 white cheeses white popcorn white crackers make up the clock face and black olives blackberries blueberries and chocolate covered almonds are the number shapes

I really think I like the mini version better because you can just pop the entire cheese ball into your mouth. No mess and no crackers needed!

The large cheese ball or the mini version make a great holiday cheese ball for events during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

I made a plate of mini cheese balls and used fun skewers with metallic poms on top for a Christmas party, and a New Year’s Eve party.

white rectangle serving platter with mini cheese balls and skewers with black and silver metallic poms on top

white rectangle serving platter with mini cheese balls and skewers with red and greem metallic poms on top

Fall Season Pumpkin Cheese Ball

cheese ball shaped like pumpkin ridges created in sides and a real pumpkin stem on top sitting on a white plate with pinecone and wicker basket in background

In the fall this year, I made the large cheese ball and created ridges with a skewer to make the cheese ball resemble a pumpkin.

I used a large real pumpkin stem in the top of the cheese ball and it turned out really cute!

pumpkin stems laying out to dry cut off the top of real pumpkins from the season

Every year when I am done with my real pumpkins for the season, I cut the stems off and dry them out and save them for the next years fall/Halloween projects. I use them on faux pumpkins to make them look more realistic or if I make a fabric pumpkin and in this case they made a great stem for my cheese ball!

more variations for the cheese ball

I have always rolled mine in chopped pecans, but walnuts would be delicious too. And chopped dried cranberries would also be yummy!

You can half the above recipe and make an in between size cheese ball. If I am making the cheese ball for just a few people this size is plenty.

FYI, the full size recipe makes about thirty 1 1/2″ mini cheese balls.

I hope you enjoyed these variations for an easy and delicious cheese ball.

If you make it, I would love to hear.

blessings,

You can print the recipe to save for later.

cream cheese ball with crackers and rosemary sprig on white plate on top of white pedestal and green plant in background

Easy and Delicious Cream Cheese Ball

This recipe is so simple and always a crowd pleaser. Make as 1 large cheese ball or make into mini cheese balls. This recipe makes about 30, 1 1/2" mini cheese balls

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, cheese ball,

Prep Time 15

Servings 20 people

Cost 5

Ingredients

2 blocks 8 ounce cream cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 small jar pimentoes (drained)
1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
chopped pecans

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together.
Form into 1 large ball or small mini balls.
Roll in chopped pecans.

or you can Pin It to remember it…..

pinterest graphic for cheese ball recipe cream cheese ball with crackers and rosemary sprig on white plate on top of white pedestal and green plant in background

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Variations for an Easy and delicious cheese ball