Name: Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 12 oz softened cream cheese (that's 1 1/2 packages); 6 oz shredded cheddar; 1/2 cup chopped pecans; 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries; 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (loosely packed); 3 tablespoons chopped pecans; 3 tablespoons chopped cranberries; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

cheeseball rolled in chopped pecans, dried cranberries and parsley sitting on a bed of Ritz crackers

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5 from 1 vote

Yield: servings

Ready In: 10 mins

I was raised by a single working mom, so money was tight when I was little. My mom used to buy cheese with dried fruit and chopped nuts in them when she felt like a fancy dinner – 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.

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Ingredients

For the Cheeseball

12 oz softened cream cheese (that's 1 1/2 packages)
6 oz shredded cheddar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (loosely packed)

To Roll

3 tablespoons chopped pecans
3 tablespoons chopped cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Prep Time: 10 mins

Ready In: 10 mins

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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Step by Step Recipe Video

Nora’s Tips

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.

Nutrition

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top down view on a cheeseball with ritz crackers on a plate

hand scraping bits off a cheeseball with a ritz cracker

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Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball