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These cranberry orange cheese balls are a simple, quick, and delicious appetizer for holiday parties! With thyme, pecans, and a bit of maple syrup, they’re savory, sweet, and a huge crowd pleaser. And, they come together in less than 30 minutes!

Cranberry orange cheese balls on a white plate next to a bottle of champagne, glasses of champagne, and an orange napkin on a beige counter.

Hi, it’s me, I haven’t worn anything fancier than sweatpants in 4 days and I can’t remember what day it is. Actually, I shouldn’t even be here because I promised myself I wouldn’t work at all in-between Christmas and New Year’s but then I needed an appetizer, and I’m a work-aholic, oh well!

Since I’m here anyways, let me introduce you to these cheese balls. Like my whipped goat cheese or these lemony marinated mozzarella balls, they’re the kind of thing you make when you absolutely can’t handle cooking one more dish during the holidays. Or when you just remembered that you’re supposed to bring an appetizer to a Christmas or New Year’s party and have like, half an hour to make one. Not that I’ve ever been there before, neverrrr. 👀

Anyways, I could wax poetic about a cheese ball. They’re the kind of recipe that your midwestern grandma has handwritten on a recipe card.

This recipe in particular is based on this delicious cranberry orange butter I used to make in culinary school. It also also has pecans, thyme, and a touch of maple syrup for that sweet-savory combo. They’re basically an elevated version of the typical cheese ball you’ve seen at every party.

Block cream cheese

A white plate of cream cheese on a tan counter next to white and brown bowls of cheese, pecans, dried cranberries, spices, and an orange linen.

For the best flavor and texture, full-fat cream cheese is key! And you want the blocks, not the stuff you put on bagels. For the filling, we’re using sharp white cheddar, pure maple syrup, orange zest, dried cranberries, pecans, thyme, parsley, Morton’s Kosher salt, and black or white pepper.

Recipe directions

A hand pouring pecans into a white bowl of cheeses and herbs.
Add the cheeses, maple syrup, orange zest, cranberries, pecans, & spices to a bowl.
A hand using a rubber spatula to mix cheeses and spices in a white bowl.
Mix everything together with a rubber spatula until it’s creamy and smooth.
A hand using a scoop to scoop cheese filling out of a white bowl.
Using a #40 cookie scoop, divide the mixture into even sized balls. Roll until smooth.

Use room temperature cream cheese. Trust me, it’s so much easier to mix!

Cheese balls on a pan.
Refrigerate the cheese balls until you’re ready to serve them.
A spoon mixing cranberries, pecans, and herbs on a white plate.
Mix the cranberries, pecans, & parsley on a plate.
A hand rolling cheese balls in herbs and nuts.
Roll the cheese balls in the cranberries & nuts.

Chill the cheese balls to help keep their shape before coating. This is optional but helps them stay round! If they are too firm, let them warm up for about 15 minutes before coating the outside with the cranberry-pecan mixture.

One big cheese ball

You can totally make one big cheese ball instead of minis! Just wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap to help keep its shape and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours until it’s firm. Then, 15 before you want to serve this app, roll it in cranberries, pecans, and herbs. The end!

A woman's hand with red nail polish grabbing a cranberry orange cheese ball off a plate next to champagne and an orange napkin on a tan table.

How to serve

You have quite a few options when it comes to serving the cheese balls! Water crackers are my favorite but homemade fruit and nut crisps, butter crackers, or any others are great too. I also like to poke small pretzel or breadsticks through the top to make it easy to grab and snack!

This recipe makes about 28 cheese balls. For extra servings, double the recipe. You could even triple or quadruple the recipe if you’re serving to a huge crowd!

Refrigerating leftovers

If you have leftover cheese balls, yay! More for you. Just place any leftovers in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. After a while, the nuts will start to soften.

A white plate of cranberry orange cheese ball bites on a beige counter next to a cracker, glasses of champagne, and a rust colored napkin.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

Cranberry orange cheese balls on a white plate next to an orange linen and champagne with a beige background.
5 from 1 vote

Mini Cranberry Orange Cheese Balls

Yield: 28 cheese balls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
I could eat 100 of these cranberry orange cheese balls, they are so good. With white cheddar, cranberries, orange zest, thyme, toasted pecans, and maple syrup, they're a sweet, savory, and nutty appetizer. The recipe is easy, has just a handful of ingredients, and comes together in less than 30 minutes for an elegant last-minute party snack. They're perfect for holiday parties like Christmas and New Year's!
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Ingredients

  • 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly-shredded
  • 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest (about 1 large orange)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
  • 2 cups toasted pecans, finely chopped, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, finely chopped, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Crackers, veggies, etc., for serving

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Add the cream cheese, sharp white cheddar cheese, maple syrup, orange zest, thyme, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Then, tip in half of the pecans and half of the dried cranberries. (Reserve the remaining pecans and cranberries for later). Use a rubber spatula or hand mixer to mix the ingredients together until it is smooth and combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Portion the cranberry orange cheese using a #40 (1 ounce, 2 Tablespoon) cookie scoop. Roll each portion of cheese between your palms to create smooth balls. Place the cheese balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan and cover. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
  • About 15 minutes before serving, remove the cheese balls from the fridge and let them warm up just a bit. Combine the remaining pecans, cranberries, and parsley in a shallow dish or pie plate. Gently roll each cheese ball until the outside is well-coated. If the mixture doesn't stick, use your fingers to gently press the coating on the outside of the cheese balls.
  • Place the prepared cheese balls on a platter. Serve with crackers, pretzels, fruit, vegetables, or other snacks. Enjoy!

Notes

Use a #40 cookie scoop (1 Tablespoon) to make smaller servings (about 56 cheese balls).
Finely chop the cranberries, pecans, and parsley or they will not stick to the cheese balls very well.
Chilling the cheese balls will help them firm up and keep their shape. However, you can assemble them right away if you’re in a rush. They may not keep their shape as well but they’ll still look pretty!
Let the cheese balls warm up for about 15 minutes before rolling. If they’re too firm, the cranberry-pecan mixture will not stick to the outside.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1cheese ball, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.7g, Protein: 3.5g, Fat: 10.2g, Saturated Fat: 5.4g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 142mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 5.5g, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 1mg
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