Cranberry Pecan Mini Cheese Balls Recipe
These Cranberry Pecan Mini Cheese Balls are a delightful and festive appetizer perfect for gatherings and parties. Creamy cream cheese and sharp white cheddar blend smoothly with savory seasonings, while chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and fresh parsley provide a crunchy, sweet, and colorful coating. Bite-sized and easy to serve, these cheese balls pair wonderfully with crackers, pretzels, or veggie sticks and can be garnished with pretzel sticks for a fun presentation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 14 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cheese Mixture
- 2 (16 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Coating
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the base mixture: Line a large tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup chopped pecans, shredded white cheddar cheese, green onions, 1 cup chopped dried cranberries, garlic salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Use a hand mixer on low speed to blend everything together until smooth and evenly mixed.
- Form cheese balls: Scoop about 2–3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture and roll it into a ball. Place each ball onto the prepared tray. Adjust the size as desired — either bite-sized or slightly larger depending on your preference.
- Chill to firm up: Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour so the cheese balls can firm up and become easier to coat.
- Prepare coating and coat balls: On a large plate, mix together the remaining chopped pecans, chopped dried cranberries, and chopped parsley. Roll each chilled cheese ball in this mixture until fully coated, gently pressing so the coating sticks well.
- Serve with garnish and sides: Serve the cranberry pecan mini cheese balls with crackers, pretzels, or vegetable sticks. For easy and mess-free snacking, insert a pretzel stick into the top of each cheese ball to serve as both a garnish and a handy handle.
Notes
- Soften cream cheese to room temperature for easy blending.
- Chop pecans and cranberries finely for better coating adherence.
- Refrigeration time is essential for firm cheese balls to hold their shape.
- These cheese balls can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more garlic salt or pepper if desired.
- Perfect appetizer for holiday parties, potlucks, or game days.
