Description
A quick and festive Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball bursting with sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans, and creamy cheese. This easy holiday appetizer takes just 15 minutes to make and delivers elegant flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional substitutions: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, dried cherries, goat cheese, cheddar, nutmeg, or allspice
Instructions
- Set up your workspace with a large bowl, spoon or mixer, and plastic wrap.
- In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, dried cranberries, pecans, Parmesan cheese, sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to plastic wrap and shape into a compact ball.
- Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving and serve with crackers or bread slices.
Notes
Use room temperature cream cheese for smooth blending. Can be made up to 5 days ahead. For a lighter option, substitute half the cream cheese with Greek yogurt or use light cream cheese. Wrap tightly and refrigerate or freeze for later use.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of cheese ball
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: cranberry, pecan, cheese ball, holiday appetizer, quick recipe, party snack