Everything Bagel Cheese Ball

This Everything Bagel Cheese Ball recipe is such a fun appetizer! It’s deliciously rich and flavorful, and can be made completely ahead of time.

I’ve always loved a good Cheese Ball and will look for any reasonable excuse to make one for a gathering or holiday. 

While they can be coated in many different ingredients, like herbs or nuts or toasted breadcrumbs, I love Everything Bagel Seasoning. The pops of sesame, poppy seeds, onion, and garlic work really well here.

I first posted this recipe on my Youtube channel in 2015 and somehow missed posting it here. But it’s a worthy addition to the blog’s library of recipes, and as you’ll see, very simple to make.

How to Make this Cheese Ball Recipe:

I recommend using a food processor for ease and speed, but I also have instructions to make this by hand, if you don’t have one. 

Shred the Cheddar First

Using the shredding disk, shred a block of white cheddar cheese:

Freshly shredded cheese is better than the pre-shredded kind, particularly because it doesn’t have any anti-caking agents. Always shred fresh if you can!

Add the Remaining Ingredients

Add a block of softened cream cheese, freshly sliced chives, ground chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper:

You may notice that I don’t add any salt here. I have found it unnecessary since the cheese is already fairly salty.

Blend It Up

Run the food processor for about 1 minute, until everything is combined. You may need to scrape down the sides once or twice.

Shape the Cheese Ball

Scrape the cheese mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap:

Pick up the sides of the plastic wrap and begin to shape it into a ball:

Fully wrap the ball, then cup and roll with your hands to get it as close to a sphere as possible.

Don’t worry if the edges are a bit uneven, since we’ll be coating the outside later anyway.

Refrigerate Until Firm

Pop the ball into the fridge for an hour, then unwrap:

It should be quite firm at this point.

Coat the Outside

Place Everything Bagel Seasoning on a plate and roll the cheese ball to coat the edges:

Serve with Crackers

The everything bagel cheese ball recipe is officially a wrap! Pile some crackers around the sides, and it is ready to go.

 

I do recommend using a sturdy cracker that’s in the “Wheat Thins style,” or to serve with a cheese knife (affiliate) so people can cut and spread the cheese. 

Puff Pastry Cheese Straws, Mac and Cheese Cups, Baked Brie and Stuffed Mini Peppers are some of my other favorite cheesy appetizers. Enjoy!

Cheese Ball Recipe FAQ and Tips:

Storing for Make Ahead: Make the recipe up to the point of refrigerating the cheese ball, but do not roll in the seasoning. Roll in the seasoning mix right before serving. You can make ahead up to 3 days in advance.

Storing Leftovers: Wrap the entire cheese ball in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: This actually stores decently in the freezer, for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

Other Coatings: If you don’t want to use the everything bagel seasoning, try coating in herbs like chopped chives, nuts like chopped pecans, or toasted breadcrumbs.