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Home / Recipes / Small Meals / Appetizers / Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball

Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball

10 mins
| Leave a Comment |
5 from 3 votes
Jump to Recipe 12/23/20 | Updated: 12/23/20 | by Nora
Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball Pin 3

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.

cheeseball sitting on platter with crackers

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 printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

ingredients for cranberry pecan cheeseball with text labels
Ingredients for Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball: Cream cheese, cheddar, pecans, dried cranberries and parsley.

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.

photo collage to show how to make mixture for cheeseball

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.

photo collage to show how to shape a cheeseball

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.

female hand dipping cracker into cheeseball

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.

overhead view of platter with crackers and cheeseball

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!
Christmas tree shaped cheeseball on a platter with crackers

More easy party appetizers

  • Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip (in a Bread Bowl!)
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
  • Easy Pineapple Salsa
  • Easy Homemade Guacamole

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!

Printable Recipe Card
cheeseball rolled in chopped pecans, dried cranberries and parsley sitting on a bed of Ritz crackers
Save Recipe Saved!

Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball

Try this Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball if you need a quick and easy appetizer. This takes just 10 minutes to put together!
Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings
made it? tap the stars to add your rating!
5 from 3 votes
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Recipe details

Prep 10 mins
Total 10 mins
Servings 12 servings
Difficulty Easy

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.
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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

Serving: 1servingCalories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 656IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
close up photo of cranberry pec an cheeseball

Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings
About Nora 
When I got married to my professional chef husband, I realized I had to step up my game in the kitchen. Now I share my favorite foolproof family recipes here on Savory Nothings: Chef-approved, kid-vetted and easy enough for everyday home cooks like you and me!   Learn more.

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Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings

Hi, I'm Nora! I wasn't always a good cook, but then I fell in love with a professional chef and learned my way around the kitchen. Now I share all my secrets to effortlessly great food here on my blog, bite-sized for home cooks just like me and you.

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