Holiday Pinecone Cheese Balls
We have so many awesome cheese ball recipes. We love this one using our blue cheese ball base recipe, but make your favorite cheese ball recipe into a festive appetizer to look like a pinecone!
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 142kcal
Ingredients
Blue Cheese Ball Base , or use your Favorite Cheese Ball Recipe
- 8 ounces (227 g) Cream Cheese , softened (1 package)
- 4 ounces (113 g) Blue Cheese , softened
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) finely minced fresh Rosemary , optional
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) Onion Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) Paprika
- fresh cracked black pepper , to taste
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dried Cranberries , chopped
Pinecone Decorative Coating
- 1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds (approximately)
- Rosemary Sprigs (for garnish) makes it festive
Instructions
- In bowl, combine cream cheese and blue cheese until well combined.
- Mix in the optional chopped rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and chopped cranberries. Stir the mixture until everything is combined. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings.
- Lay plastic wrap on surface and transfer cheese mixture on top. Wrap the plastic wrap around cheese mixture and shape the mixture into an oval shape (like a pinecone laying on its side - kind of looks like an elongated egg). Chill until the cheese ball is firm.
- Decorated the chilled ball with the slivered almonds layered to resemble a pinecone. Refrigerate covered until ready to serve.
- Garnish with rosemary when ready to serve. The cheese ball tastes better the next day after all the flavors are combined. Can be served slightly chilled or at room temperature (we like the texture & flavor best at room temperature).
Nutrition
Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 146mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg