Festive Party Cheese Ball With Pecans

Festive Party Cheese Ball With Pecans

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chilling time: 26 hrs
Total: 26 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This cheese ball is a simple combination of cheeses, shaped into a festive ball and rolled in finely chopped pecans.

What sets this cheese ball apart? The secret's in the Worcestershire sauce which adds the perfect tang to this crowd-pleasing snack.

Use finely chopped walnuts if you prefer, or if you don't have pecans on hand. The cheddar cheese can also be substituted with any other grated, semi-hard cheese. You can even try combining several different cheeses for a more complex taste.

If you'd like to add a little kick to this classic appetizer, try mixing in a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce.

You'll need to prepare the cheese ball at least 24 hours in advance, but for those who truly like to plan ahead, this recipe can be made up to three days before your party. Just be sure to refrain from adding the crunchy, nut coating until serving day as it can become soft in the fridge.

Serve the cheese ball with a variety of crackers at your next celebratory gathering

"I loved the flavor of this cheeseball, and the hints of garlic and onion which really come through once refrigerated overnight. The cream cheese and cheddar cheese was a great combination. The ball held together very well, and chilling it prior to rolling it in pecans was key." —Diana Andrews

Festive Party Cheese Ball With Pecans/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

  • 2 teaspoons minced onion

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Festive Party Cheese Ball With Pecans ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined.

    cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and salt. Mix well. Cover and chill thoroughly in refrigerator, until firm (this usually takes a few hours).

    onion, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic added to the cheese in the bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Shape cheese into a ball and cover completely and tightly with a generous amount of plastic wrap, then with foil.

    cheese ball wrapped with plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Refrigerate the ball for at least 24 hours (and up to three days) before serving.

    cheese ball wrapped with aluminum foil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before serving. Take off the foil and plastic wrap. Roll ball in the pecans until entire outer surface is completely covered with nuts.

    cheese ball covered with nuts

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Place ball in center of a serving dish, and surround with assorted crackers and veggies.

    Festive Party Cheese Ball With Pecans, served with crackers and vegetables

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
378 Calories
35g Fat
6g Carbs
12g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 378
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 16g 78%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 489mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 318mg 24%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 154mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)