Description
Celebrate the holidays with this festive Rudolph Christmas Cheese Ball, a creamy cheddar and cream cheese blend coated in crunchy pecans, decorated with pretzel antlers, olive eyes, and a cherry tomato nose. Perfect for holiday gatherings, served with crackers for a delightful appetizer everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 16 Ounces Cream Cheese (room temperature)
- 2 ½ Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 ounce Ranch Seasoning Mix
Coating and Decorations
- 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
- 2 Black Olives
- 1 Cherry Tomato
- 2 Pretzels (regular size, not mini)
Serving
- Ritz Crackers (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly until well blended to ensure an even flavor throughout your cheese ball.
- Form the Cheese Ball. Using gloves if desired, roll the mixture into a tight ball shape. This helps the mixture hold together and makes it easier to coat later.
- Chill the Cheese Ball. Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for about 4 hours or until firm enough to handle easily.
- Prepare Pecan Coating. Place the chopped pecans in a small bowl and break any large pieces into smaller bits to create an even coating.
- Coat the Cheese Ball with Pecans. Wearing gloves if preferred, scoop some chopped pecans into your hand and press them onto the surface of the cheese ball. Continue pressing pecans evenly over the ball, leaving the flat bottom side bare so the cheese ball will sit properly on a platter. This step may be a bit challenging as the cheese ball will be firm from chilling, but keep pressing until mostly covered.
- Make Pretzel Antlers. Break the two regular pretzels in half and remove the smaller center portions from the best pieces to shape the antlers. If preferred, use whole pretzels without breaking them.
- Attach Pretzel Antlers. Insert one pretzel antler into the top left side of the cheese ball and the other into the top right side to create Rudolph’s antlers.
- Prepare Eyes and Nose. Cut each black olive in half. Use the side without the big hole as the eyes, gently attaching each half to toothpicks by the thicker edge for stability.
- Insert Eyes. Push the olive-attached toothpicks into the cheese ball where the eyes should be, leaving the pointy part slightly poking out for easy placement.
- Add Nose. Attach the cherry tomato to a toothpick and gently push it into the cheese ball where the nose would naturally sit, nestling it closely to create a realistic Rudolph look.
- Serve and Enjoy. Place the decorated cheese ball on a serving platter surrounded by your favorite crackers, such as Ritz, and enjoy this festive appetizer at your holiday gatherings!
Notes
- For easiest handling and shaping, chill the cream cheese before mixing.
- Gloves are optional but recommended for easier shaping and cleanup.
- The pecan coating adds great texture; feel free to substitute with other nuts if preferred.
- Use whole pretzels for antlers for a simpler assembly if breaking pretzels is inconvenient.
- Keep the flat bottom part of the cheese ball uncovered so it sits flat on your serving dish and doesn’t roll.
- This cheese ball can be made a day in advance; just keep it refrigerated until serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas appetizer, cheese ball, holiday snack, cheddar cheese, festive appetizer, party food, no-bake appetizer
