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A cheese ball is the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer for a fun holiday party. It’s a retro classic that never goes out of style and always brings smiles to the party. Made with a base of creamy, tangy cheeses, like cream cheese and cheddar, it’s endlessly customizable with your choice of cheeses, herbs, spices, nuts or dried fruits.
Cheese balls are a quick and easy app to throw together and stash in the fridge until your guests arrive. You can pair them with crackers, pretzels, fruits or veggies for a snack that appeals to almost everyone. Its round, festive shape makes it a perfect centerpiece, especially when rolled in chopped nuts, fresh herbs or even cranberries for a holiday touch. If you have guests with varying tastes, you can make several smaller cheese balls and roll them each in different toppings.
We’ve seen some creative cheese balls in our time, but the one we saw on Instagram via content creator Crystal Brown (@southernsnippets) was so fun and creative (and simple!) that it stopped us mid-scroll. The commenters were loving it—and so were we! Here’s how to make it at home.
Related: The Big Cheese: 7 Best Grocery Store Cheddars, Ranked
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How to Make an Extra-Festive Cheese Ball
“Need an easy appetizer? Save this for your next party!” Crystal said in the caption of her Instagram post. We’re definitely saving this one!
Crystal said she had three holiday parties in one week, so she needed simple, easy dishes to bring along—and a cheese ball sure fits that bill.
“This pomegranate cheese ball is so easy to make ahead and just grab as you’re running out the door and plate when you get there!” Crystal said on Instagram. We love that!
You can find the full recipe on Crystal’s blog, but to get started you will need cream cheese and mozzarella. Mix those together in a bowl and add salt, a Ranch seasoning packet and chopped green onion. Using your hands, roll the mixture into a large ball.
Once you have your cheese ball ready, store it in the fridge for a few hours to firm up. Pull it out and roll it in some pomegranate arils, completely covering the cheese.
Crystal said you can get creative after the cheeseball is ready and add some rosemary or other herbs. She added a gold-wrapped Rolo candy to the top of the cheese ball and then topped the candy with a small ribbon, which made the cheese ball look like a Christmas ornament.
After the cheeseball is decorated to your liking, add some crackers, chips and/or vegetables around it and it’s ready to go!
This has to be one of the easiest, cutest cheese balls we’ve ever seen and we can’t wait to make one for our next holiday gathering!
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