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Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

Creamy sharp cheddar cheese ball with tart cranberries, coated in toasted pecans, cranberries and parsley — the make-ahead Christmas appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 appetizer servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the cheese ball:
  • 16 ounces cream cheese two 8-ounce blocks, at room temperature
  • 2 cups finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese 8 ounces, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup finely sliced green onions about 3 onions, white and green parts
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans finely chopped (from the coating batch below)
For the coating:
  • 1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To serve:
  • Plain water crackers crostini or sturdy butter crackers
  • Apple slices optional

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Toast the pecans: heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the 1 1/2 cups of pecan halves in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until they are a shade darker and smell rich and nutty. Tip them straight onto a cold plate to stop the cooking — nuts go from toasted to scorched fast on a hot pan. Let them cool completely, then chop them finely. You need 1/2 cup for the filling and the rest, about 1 cup, for the coating.
  2. Beat the base: in a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute, until completely smooth and fluffy, scraping the bowl down once. Cold or lumpy cream cheese at this stage means a lumpy cheese ball at the end, so take the full minute.
  3. Mix the filling: add the shredded cheddar, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and mix on low just until everything is evenly combined. Fold in the 1/2 cup of chopped dried cranberries and the 1/2 cup of chopped toasted pecans with a spatula. The mixture will be soft — that is exactly right at this stage.
  4. Shape the ball: lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, scrape the mixture into the center, and gather the wrap up and around it, twisting the top closed. Use your hands over the wrap to press and turn the mixture into a neat, round ball. It does not need to be perfect — the coating hides a lot — but a smooth, even round chills and coats best.
  5. Chill for 2 hours, until firm all the way through. This chill is not optional waiting time: a warm cheese ball slumps on the board and the coating slides off it. If you are making it further ahead, it keeps happily in its wrap at this stage for up to 3 days.
  6. Mix the coating: while the ball chills, stir the remaining chopped toasted pecans (about 1 cup), the 3/4 cup of chopped dried cranberries and the chopped parsley together on a large plate or in a shallow dish. The parsley is not just decoration — its fresh, green flecks are what make the red and amber coating look like Christmas.
  7. Coat the ball: unwrap the chilled ball and roll it in the coating, turning it and pressing the mixture gently but firmly onto every side with your hands until no bare cream cheese shows. Patch any thin spots with extra coating and press again — a full, even coat is what gives you that jewelled, festive finish.
  8. Stand and serve: set the coated ball on your serving board and let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving — just long enough to lose the fridge chill and spread easily, not long enough to slump. Fan the crackers around it, add a small spreading knife, and serve. The inside should be creamy and sliceable, studded with cranberry and pecan in every bite.