The Best Spicy Cheese Ball Recipe For The Holidays

It's day 5 of the 12 Days Of Christmas 2018 event and the theme is Holiday Party Food Ideas. I'm sharing a recipe that is so popular in my house that if I don't serve it during the holidays, or any gathering for that matter, I hear about it. One ingredient makes this the best spicy cheese ball recipe for the holidays EVER plus make it festive by shaping it into a Christmas ornament.

Spicy Cheese Ball For The Holidays

Welcome to Day 5 of the Fourth Annual 12 Days of Christmas Series!


We have teamed up with 50 plus bloggers to bring you oodles of DIY Ideas and Recipes to make your holiday season merrier. There are 12 different posts in the series and we have spread them out over a four week period with three posts per week. Now is the time to subscribe!

GO HERE for the complete list of Dates and Topics plus a collection of most popular holiday ideas including ornaments, games, recipes, and more from all 50 plus talented bloggers!

It's Day 5 and we are sharing Holiday Party Food Ideas!

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12 Days of Christmas recap

DIY Gift Ideas - Upcycled Basket Holiday Hostess Gift
DIY Christmas Countdown - Christmas Countdown Santa Cottage
DIY Kid's Crafts - Easy Snowflake Craft To Make With Your Grandkids
Holiday Party Food - Spicy Cheese Ball For The Holidays (You Are Here)
DIY Ornament Ideas - Three Unique Recycled Sweater Ornaments
Holiday Decor Ideas - Milk and Cookies Tray For Santa
Christmas In A Jar - Retro North Pole Christmas Diorama
Pretty Gift Wrapping Ideas - Eco-Friendly Holiday Gift Wrap and DIY Gift Tags
Christmas Trees - Sparkly Red Burlap Tabletop Christmas Trees
Something Sweet - Family Holiday Favorite Walnut Strudel Cookies
Stockings - Unique High Heel Christmas Stocking For A Fashionista

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So what is the secret ingredient that makes this spicy cheese ball the best? 

Sharp cold packed cheddar cheese. I've tried it with other types of cheddar and it is not the same. I've yet to taste a cheese ball as good as this recipe.

Does this spicy cheese ball pack the heat?

It has just the right amount of spices to give it a punch of flavor without the heat. I can't eat really spicy food and I tolerate this recipe with no problem.

You'll find the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Ingredients to make the spicy cheese ball

Step 1 - Dice the cheese

Step 2 - Combine the ingredients in a food processor

I used a small Kitchen Aid Artisan Food Chopper on the puree setting and it works fine.

Step 3 - Form into a ball

Form into a flat ball.

Step 4 - Roll cheese ball in spices on waxed paper

Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary and cranberries and serve with heavy crackers.

Can I make this cheese ball ahead of time?

This cheese ball is even more flavorful when made the day before. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

What crackers are best served with this cheese ball?

I would recommend you serve the cheese ball with a heavier more dense cracker. Serve with a Ritz cracker-like shown above, Triscuit crackers, or Table Water Crackers to name a few.

Other ideas for serving the cheeseball

I split the cheese ball in half to make two cheese balls. I serve one and have the other in the fridge to replenish as needed.

Another option is making individual mini cheese balls for guests to put on their plates. This is a real hit but you'll need to double the recipe!

Yield: 48 8g servings

Author: Interior Frugalista

Spicy Cheese Ball Recipe For The Holidays

This recipe is so popular at my house that if I don't serve it during the holidays, I hear about it! One ingredient makes this the best spicy cheese ball ever without the heat.

prep time: 15 M cook time: total time: 15 M

ingredients:

• 250 gram Sharp Cold Packed Cheddar Cheese
• 125 g Cream Cheese or 1/2 package
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Paprika

instructions:

How To Make The Spicy Cheese Ball

1. Dice cheddar and cream cheese and place it in a food processor.
2. Add lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and garlic powder.
3. Puree until soft and smooth.
4. Shape into a flat ball.
5. Put aside 1-2 tbsp of mixture and refrigerate.
6. Combine chili powder and paprika in a small bowl and mix together.
7. Sprinkle spice mixture onto waxed paper.
8. Roll to coat cheese ball on the sides and top.
9. Wrap in waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
10. When ready to serve, spread the extra cheese ball mixture onto 3-4 crackers.
11. Place crackers on the top of the cheese ball to form an ornament stem.
12. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and cranberries.
13. Serve with a thicker cracker.

Calories
30.53

Fat (grams)
2.65

Sat. Fat (grams)
1.51

Carbs (grams)
0.38

Fiber (grams)
0.04

Net carbs
0.34

Sugar (grams)
0.13

Protein (grams)
1.37

Sodium (milligrams)
44.53

Cholesterol (grams)
7.79

Nutritional information is for the cheese ball only and does not include the cracker nutritional value.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I have no doubt that if you serve this spicy cheese ball, your guests will be asking for the recipe.

Scroll down for more Holiday Party Food Ideas for your holiday season.

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