Easy Pumpkin Cheese Ball
I can't get over how cute this pumpkin cheese ball is! It's stuffed with homemade spicy ranch seasoning, sharp cheddar cheese, crunchy bacon, and a smattering of fresh chives. You can make it as-is for Thanksgiving, or add some black olives to make a jack'olantern instead! It's pretty, easy, and festive for sharing with friends.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese (454 grams)
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream (60 grams)
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly-shredded, divided (350 grams)
- 1/4 cup freshly-chopped chives (12 grams)
- 1/4 cup homemade ranch seasoning or store-bought (28 grams/1 ounce packet)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked & crumbled
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 bell pepper, stem only
- Crackers and/or veggies, for serving
- Black olives, for a jack o'lantern cheese ball
Equipment
- Kitchen twine or rubber bands
- Toothpicks, if needed
Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, 1 1/4 cups (125 grams) of the cheddar cheese, chives, ranch seasoning, and crumbled bacon in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese mixture until it's very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl 2-3 times. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
- Spoon the filling into the center of a big piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, shape the cheese into an oval shape. (You can also do this with clean hands or a rubber spatula, it'll just be sticky.)
- Unwrap the cheese ball and press the remaining shredded cheddar cheese into the bottom, sides, and top of the cheese ball. Make sure there are no gaps. Re-wrap the cheese ball in a big piece of plastic wrap and seal it very well to keep the cheese from drying out.
- Then, cut 4 long strips of kitchen twine. Tie the kitchen twine around the cheese ball in a criss-cross pattern to get the pumpkin indentations. (The tighter you tie the twine, the more pronounced the indentations.) You can also use large rubber bands for this. See the blog post for photo examples.
- Chill the cheese ball for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. When you're ready to serve the cheese ball, let it come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes. Snip the kitchen twine and make a small indentation at the very top of the cheese ball with a teaspoon. Place the bell pepper stem in the indentation to create the stem. Serve the cheese ball with crackers & veggies.
- To make a jack o'lantern - Slice the black olives in half length-wise. Cut each olive half into a triangle, doing your best to make them all the same size. Then, press the olives into the cheese ball in the shape of a face. If they aren't sticking, cut toothpicks into small 1/2-inch pieces and use them to secure the olives to the cheese ball.
Notes
Keep in mind that the cheese ball will become more flavorful as it chills, so you don't want to over-do it on the salt. I like to test the cheese with a cracker, because the saltiness of the crackers you're using can also affect the overall taste.
Make sure that you're picking a very orange cheddar cheese. The oranger the better because it'll make it look more like a pumpkin! I use the Trader Joe's brand because it's super orange.
The servings can vary depending on if you're serving other snacks or a meal. This recipe will make about 2-3 bites (on crackers) for 24 people. If you want to plan on 4-5 bites per person, it'll serve closer to 12.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 376mg, Potassium: 53mg, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 122mg
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