Christmas Cheeseball

by Cassie December 23, 2024

Look no further for the holiday cheese ball of your dreams! Impress your guests this holiday season with this mouthwatering Christmas Cheeseball. Made with sharp white cheddar, whipped cream cheese, and a hint of liquid smoke!

Christmas cheeseball on plate surrounded by crackers

This is a unique take on your traditional Christmas cheese ball recipe and makes the most delicious appetizer you will be making on repeat throughout the holiday season. Simple ingredients such as sharp white cheddar and a touch of liquid smoke add so much flavor your party guests will love! This is the best cheese ball recipe and will make a rather large cheese ball, you can easily make it into two or save any extra cheese ball mixture to serve later.

Ingredients at a glance

shredded cheese, cream cheese, green onion, chopped walnuts. pomegranate seeds, liquid smoke, parsley

Whipped cream cheese – you will get the best results using whipped cream cheese in this recipe. I find it is much easier for all of the ingredients to mix into the whipped texture. You can use regular cream cheese if that is all you have on hand, you will need to allow time for it to come to room temperature so that when you go to make your cheese ball you are working with a truly softened cream cheese.
Sharp cheddar cheese – white cheddar works best here, I love that sharp bite it adds to the creaminess of the cream cheese. Make sure to buy your sharp white cheddar in a block and grate it yourself.
Chopped pecans – add a warm nutty flavor and slight crunch to your cheeseball. You can swap the pecans for walnuts if need be.
Green onions – they add the perfect subtle onion flavor and I love the color they add to the cream cheese mixture.
Liquid smoke – do not be intimidated by our secret ingredient, you can find this at your local grocery store and you are going to be amazed how a little liquid smoke adds so much flavor and depth making it the perfect appetizer! If you cannot find liquid smoke Worcestershire sauce can be a substitute.
Salt and pepper – fresh cracked black pepper adds the perfect bite and you can salt to taste the cheeseball mixture.
Pomegranate seeds – this festive addition will coat the outside of your cheese ball and add a pop of color and crunch.
Chopped parsley – will also be used to coat the outside of the cheese ball – you are going to love how the red and green look together!

Let’s make your cheese ball

In a large bowl add the whipped cream cheese and freshly grated sharp white cheddar and mix until fully combined. I prefer to just use a spatula but you can also use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer and a large bowl to make your cheeseball.

whipped cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese in bowl

Add in the chopped pecans, chopped green onions, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper and stir to combine all the ingredients allowing all the different flavors to meld.

chopped walnuts, green onions, salt pepper and liquid smoke added to cheese mixture

Grab a large piece of plastic wrap and spread it on the counter. Spoon the flavorful mixture of cream cheese onto the plastic wrap and pull up the corners to cover so you can shape it into a ball without it getting all over your hands.

Once formed place your plastic-covered cheese ball in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let the mixture chill. DO NOT SKIP THIS!
Remove the cheeseball from the refrigerator and unwrap it.

Using your hands press the pomegranate seeds and some extra chopped pecans to the top and sides to cover.

cheeseball covered in pomegranate seeds and chopped walnuts

Repeat the process with the chopped parsley and place your coated cheese ball on a serving plate.

Serving your cheese ball

Serve this easy Christmas appetizer along with your favorite crackers, toasted bread or red bell peppers sliced up. It can also be the perfect addition to any charcuterie board. The flavors of the cheeseball really shine as it comes to room temperature and will earn you nothing but 5-star reviews at your next holiday party!

If you make a smaller cheeseball any of the leftover mixture can be stored in an airtight container for several days and can be served as a delicious appetizer spread on another occasion.

Recipe

16 oz whipped cream cheese
8 oz sharp white cheddar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 minced green onions or chives
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Fresh curly parsley for garnish

We are cheese lovers here, Heres some more inspiration for the perfect holiday app: Mac and Cheese Cups, Everything Bagel Cheese Ball, Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!