Grandma Knows Best.
If the design world is having a “grandmillenial” moment, you might say that over here in the food world, we’re having something along those lines as well. Between this cheese ball recipe, our Shrimp Cocktail, and the Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip we shared a few weeks ago, we’re diving deep into the retro favorites of our childhood. The Christmas dinners of our childhoods always kicked off with a celebrational cheese ball—covered in bright green chives, it held a place of honor right smack in the middle of Grandma’s appetizer spread. That creamy, savory mound was where all the cousins would gather. With black olives on our fingers and a hungry gleam in our eyes, we’d attack that cheese ball like nobody’s business. Santa can keep his candy canes—just pass the crackers and let us at that cheese ball!
5 Reasons This Is Best Cheese Ball Recipe of All.
As if you needed a reason to make a cheese ball. Oh, you do? OK, well how about five reasons?
- Our classic cheese ball recipe calls for not one, not two, not three (but you’re getting warmer), but FOUR kinds of onions. Scallions, onion powder and dried minced onions go into the cheese ball itself, and chives decorate the outside for a pop of green color that really brings this otherwise-very-beige appetizer to life.
- Let’s talk about those onions one more time. Specifically the “minced onions”, by which we mean a dehydrated onion product like Simply Organic Minced Onion or McCormick Minced Onions. Look for it in the spice aisle!
- Sharp cheddar cheese. We call for white cheddar, because it helps make this dip nice and uniform in color, but if you prefer yellow sharp cheddar, that’ll work too.
- Our beloved garlic powder. You might be tempted to use real garlic cloves here, but don’t! Garlic powder is perfect here, because it will blend seamlessly into the cream cheese mixture in a way that fresh garlic cloves could only dream of. DO make sure you’re garlic powder is fresh, though—if it’s more than six months old, toss it and buy some new.
- You can make it ahead of time! Like, way ahead. Mix this cheese ball up a few days before you’d like to serve it, and leave it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge until party time.
How to Make a Cheese Ball
Cheese balls of old called for products that are hard to find these days—mysterious jarred cheeses and so on. But our easy cheese ball recipe relies on everyday ingredients and comes together fast. Break out the food processor—this beloved holiday appetizer will be ready in no time. Here’s how to make our classic cheese ball:
- Blend the cheeses, garlic powder, dried & powdered onion, salt and pepper. Toss in the scallions and pulse it again.
- Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill. For a long time—four hours, or ideally overnight.
- Roll the finished ball in a crunchy, colorful combo of chives and a few more of those dried, minced onions.
- Serve!
All Your Cheese Ball FAQs, Answered.
- Can I freeze a cheese ball? Yes! When you wrap the cheese ball in the plastic wrap, just wrap it up in a few extra layers of plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer. The day before you’d like to serve it, move it to the fridge to thaw. Roll it in the chives and minced onions after thawing.
- What should I serve with a cheese ball? How about a Spiced Bourbon Cocktail or glass of wine and a giant spoon? Kidding kidding (kind of.) A cheese ball is sort of like a molded dip, so serve it with anything you’d normal pair with a cheesy, creamy dip—think buttery crackers, dippable veggies, or even sliced baguette.
- Will my friends like this? Isn’t this kind of a grandma food? Heck yes, and yes! Grandma knew what was up. Cheese balls are budget-friendly, easy to make and easy to love. And they’re a perfect Christmas food—totally indulgent, totally bad for you, a total treat.
Tools You’ll Need:
- A food processor makes this cheese ball come together so fast, but you could also mix the cream cheese mixture with a hand-held beater, in a pinch.
- Large bowl.
- Plastic wrap.
- Sharp knife.
Our Most Popular Holiday Appetizer Recipes:
Tis the season to feed a crowd, and we’ve got your back.
Easy Cheesy.
We’d be so honored if you make our recipes part of your holiday celebrations! Snap a photo of your holiday cheese ball and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to, and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can see! Happy eating!
