Mini Cranberry Pecan Cheese Balls
Mini Cranberry Pecan Cheese Balls are festive, bite-sized appetizers made with a blend of cheeses, dried cranberries, and pecans—perfect for holiday parties and make-ahead entertaining.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 30 cheese balls
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 4 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chives, thinly sliced
- For coating: 1/2 cup chives (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup pecans (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (chopped)
- 30 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese, goat cheese, and grated cheddar in a large bowl and mix until smooth.
- Fold in chopped cranberries, chopped pecans, and sliced chives.
- Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to portion the mixture and roll into balls using your hands.
- Prepare shallow bowls with chopped cranberries, pecans, and chives for coating.
- Roll each cheese ball in your desired coating until fully covered.
- Insert a pretzel stick into each cheese ball.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. If making ahead, insert pretzel sticks just before serving.
Notes
- Use high-quality cheese for the best flavor.
- Chill the mixture slightly if it’s too soft to roll.
- Mix coatings for a more festive appearance.
- Do not freeze—freezing alters texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3–4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg