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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    Published: Nov 22, 2015 · Last modified: Oct 8, 2022 by Leslie Kiszka / This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball | Stress Baking
    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball | Stress Baking
    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball | Stress Baking

    This cranberry pecan cheese ball combined creamy cheese with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, making this the perfect shareable snack for your holiday gatherings! Add it to the table alongside some candied pecans.

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    As you might recall, I’m not a big fan of cream cheese. However, I am a total sucker for anything that involves white cheddar cheddar cheese – so, cheese balls? I’m all over that.

    Cheese balls with cranberries and nuts? Just hand it over and nobody gets hurt.

    And that, my friends, is why I made this Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball.

    Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball

    Ingredients for cranberry pecan cheeseball

    • 8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
    • 2 cups white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
    • ½ cup dried cranberries (aff link), finely chopped
    • ½ cup pecans, chopped
    • 1 cup whole dried cranberries (aff link)
    • 1 cup pecans

    How to make cranberry pecan cheeseball

    1. In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer (aff link), beat together cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined. If adding orange extract, add it now and beat well.
    2. Add chopped cranberries and stir to combine.
    3. Place mixture in the center of a piece of plastic wrap and cover completely with wrap while forming it into a ball shape. Place in fridge to chill for a couple hours.
    4. Unwrap the ball, place on serving dish and cover the outside with whole dried cranberries (aff link) and pecans (you may need more or less than a cup each depending on the side of the ball you made).
    5. Serve with crackers, pita chips or pretzels. Enjoy!

    Makes a great holiday appetizer

    This is the perfect appetizer to set out for your guests while you prepare the main course for your holiday dinner. It’s self-serve, and doesn’t require anything fancy.

    Just set out a plate with this bad boy surrounded by crackers, toss a cheese knife (okay, maybe don’t toss it – place it gently) next to it and you’re done.

    You don’t have to worry about portion sizes because people can take as little or as much as they’d like.

    See? I told you – it’s perfect.

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    How cute is this little “Gobble Gobble Until You Wobble” placard I got at Target? The answer is “SO cute”.

    Anyway. I added a little orange extract to mine, because of course I did. You could add a hint of red food coloring if you wanted to be even more festive. Or you could even add some cranberry puree, it would just be a little bit messier. 

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    How to serve a cheese ball

    You want to keep the cheese ball chilled until it’s ready to be served, but once you’ve set it out it will only get easier to cut into. 

    Frankly, that can only help things once your guests are a few cocktails into the evening – getting the cheese onto the cracker is quite the feat when you’re doing it through an eggnog-induced haze.

    This cranberry pecan cheese ball pairs well with a sturdy cracker or pita chips.

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    How many servings does this cheeseball make?

    I find that this is the perfect size for 10 people – so if you have more than that, you might want to make more than one.

    Or you could make one GIANT cheeseball and then take a picture of it next to your dog for perspective and send it to me. Because dog.

    After you’ve made this recipe, please consider coming back to share your experience with others by leaving a comment below with a star rating!

    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

    5 from 1 vote
    This cranberry pecan cheese ball combined creamy cheese with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, making this the perfect shareable snack for your holiday gatherings!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Chill Time 2 hours
    Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
    Servings 16 servings
        ✓ Read the recipe from beginning to end
          ✓ Check oven calibration
            ✓ Check expiration dates
              ✓ Properly measure ingredients
                ✓ Check butter temperature

    Recommended Equipment

    • Stand Mixer
    • Hand mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
    • 2 cups white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
    • ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
    • ½ cup pecans, chopped
    • 1 cup whole dried cranberries
    • 1 cup pecans

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined. If adding orange extract, add it now and beat well.
      8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese | 2 cups white sharp cheddar cheese | 1 teaspoon orange extract
    • Add chopped cranberries and stir to combine.
      ½ cup dried cranberries
    • Place mixture in the center of a piece of plastic wrap and cover completely with wrap while forming it into a ball shape. Place in fridge to chill for a couple hours.
    • Unwrap the ball, place on serving dish and cover the outside with whole dried cranberries, chopped and whole pecans (you may need more or less than a cup each depending on the side of the ball you made).
      ½ cup pecans | 1 cup whole dried cranberries | 1 cup pecans
    • Serve with crackers, pita chips or pretzels. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Author Leslie Kiszka
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating!
    Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

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    Leslie Kiszka in a red dress

    About Leslie

    I'm the hot mess behind every recipe you see here! I use baking as an outlet for relieving stress and anxiety to provide you with approachable homemade recipes and a little humor, for good measure.

    learn more about Leslie →

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Beverly Eagle

      December 15, 2018 at 9:16 am

      Can you freeze and serve later

      Reply
      • Leslie Haasch

        December 16, 2018 at 6:57 pm

        I’ve never tried to do that before, sorry I can’t give you advice there!

        Reply

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