Try this Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball if you need a quick and easy appetizer. This takes just 10 minutes to put together with cheese, cranberries and pecans.
My mom used to buy cheese with dried fruit and chopped nuts in them when she felt like a fancy lunch – and you know what, to this day I absolutely love this combination of sweet and savory delivered in a creamy cheese package.
Here I’m combining two of my favorite holiday-inspired flavors (cranberries and pecans) with cream cheese, cheddar cheese and chopped parsley to make the ultimate festive party appetizer.
Feel free to toast the pecans for even more flavor, and serve with crackers and/or veggie sticks for dipping.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cream Cheese: I just used a regular old store-brand cream cheese. If using a cream cheese spread, you’ll need to chill the cream cheese before using (so don’t soften it).
- Cheddar: I used a medium variety, but feel free to use a sharp one. Monterey Jack or Gouda would be good substitutes.
- Cranberries: I used a sweetened variety, because the unsweetened ones are very tart. Feel free to use an unsweetened variety if you prefer, but just know that your cheeseball will lack the sweetness from the cranberries and be more on the tart side.
- Pecans: If you don’t have any pecans, chopped almonds or walnuts would be a good substitute. Feel free to toast the chopped nuts before adding them to the cheeseball for more flavor (let them cool down before adding them).
- Parsley: I like using parsley here because everyone in my family will eat it without complaints, and the cheeseball looks and tastes so much better with some fresh green herbiness. Feel free to use chopped green onions or chopped cilantro in place of the parsley if you want to go for a more pungent flavor.
How to make a Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball
1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix them well.
2. Now push the mixture together with your hands, then shape into a ball.
3. Using chopped pecans, chopped dried cranberries and chopped parsley, roll the cheeseball back and forth until it’s evenly covered.
Make sure to press the toppings slightly into the cheese so they stick! Serve right away, or chill in the fridge until ready to eat.
Make ahead tips
If you make the cheeseball without the parsley, you can make it up to a day ahead of time (the nuts get too soft for my liking after that).
With the parsley, I recommend making it no more than 6 hours ahead.
Either way, keep the cheeseball tightly wrapped in foil in the fridge, and roll it in extra nuts and cranberries right before serving to make it look fresh and pretty.
Recipe tips
- Since this is really a kind of dip, I recommend chopping the cranberries, pecans and parsley rather small. Nobody wants a huge leaf of parsley on their cracker.
- Instead of shaping into a ball, you can also shape the mixture into a cone shape. Roll it in ½ cup of chopped parsley and decorate with sliced almonds, whole cranberries and a cheese star on top – a cheeseball Christmas tree!
More easy party appetizers
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Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball
Recipe details
Ingredients
For the Cheeseball
- 12 oz softened cream cheese that's 1 ½ packages
- 6 oz shredded cheddar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley loosely packed
To Roll
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons chopped cranberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the cheeseball in a bowl and shape into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans, cranberries and parsley and serve with crackers and/or raw veggie sticks.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
Cream Cheese: I just used a regular old store-brand cream cheese. If using a cream cheese spread, you’ll need to chill the cream cheese before using (so don’t soften it). Cheddar: I used a medium variety, but feel free to use a sharp one. Monterey Jack or Gouda would be good substitutes. Cranberries: I used a sweetened variety, because the unsweetened ones are very tart. Feel free to use an unsweetened variety if you prefer, but just know that your cheeseball will lack the sweetness from the cranberries and be more on the tart side. Pecans: If you don’t have any pecans, chopped almonds or walnuts would be a good substitute. Feel free to toast the chopped nuts before adding them to the cheeseball for more flavor (let them cool down before adding them). Parsley: I like using parsley here because everyone in my family will eat it without complaints, and the cheeseball looks and tastes so much better with some fresh green herbiness. Feel free to use chopped green onions or chopped cilantro in place of the parsley if you want to go for a more pungent flavor.Make Ahead Tips:
If you make the cheeseball without the parsley, you can make it up to a day ahead of time (the nuts get too soft for my liking after that). With the parsley, I recommend making it no more than 6 hours ahead. Either way, keep the cheeseball tightly wrapped in foil in the fridge, and roll it in extra nuts and cranberries right before serving to make it look fresh and pretty.Recipe tips
- Since this is really a kind of dip, I recommend chopping the cranberries, pecans and parsley rather small. Nobody wants a huge leaf of parsley on their cracker.
- Instead of shaping into a ball, you can also shape the mixture into a cone shape. Roll it in ½ cup of chopped parsley and decorate with sliced almonds, whole cranberries and a cheese star on top – a cheeseball Christmas tree!
Nutrition
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