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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cheeseball Bites

appetizer· Holiday Favorites· snacks
October 26, 2020

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Cheeseball Bites – Cream cheese is mixed with spices and cheddar cheese, rolled into mini balls, and rolled in a coating of bacon, pecans, and chives to make for perfectly-sized cheeseballs

Cream cheese mixed with spices and cheddar cheese, rolled into mini balls, and rolled in a coating of bacon, pecans, and chives

Tomorrow is a very special day…it’s the launch of my SECOND cookbook. It’s been a long time coming but it’s finally here. Entertaining Made Easy is a collection of tips and recipes perfect for hosting any kind of event. I am so excited for it to come out and hope you get a chance to get a copy of it for yourself.

cover photo of entertaining made easy cookbook

As a little sneak peak, I am recreating a recipe here for you with some exclusive photos. It’s a recipe for my Cheeseball Bites and sure to get you excited about hosting some gatherings this coming Holiday season.

Plate of Cheeseball Bites with a pretzel sticking out of the top
Close-up of the Cheeseball Bites showing the bacon coating the cheeseball

What are cheeseball bites?

Cheeseball bites are a smaller, bite-sized version of the cheeseball. If you’re like me, you may not have had or even heard of a cheeseball. I first learned about them while working at a grocery store and would see people buying them. I soon figured out that a cheeseball is a mixture of soft cheese, shredded cheese, spices, and toppings rolled into a ball. To serve them, you place on a platter with crackers or toast and guests slice off pieces from the ball and either enjoy alone or spread on the crackers.

For my bite-sized version, I decided to form the cheeseball into smaller balls and serve with a pretzel stick in the middle. Guests can eat right off the pretzel stick or they can spread onto a cracker. Regardless of how it’s eaten, there’s one thing that’s great about these bites – they’re super easy to serve, especially at large events.

How are these cheeseball bites made?

To make these cheeseball bites, there is very little effort involved. The process can be split into 3 parts:

  1. Mixing the cheese ingredients and spices
  2. Rolling the cheese into balls
  3. Rolling each ball in the toppings
Cream cheese mixture

For the cheeseball mixture, I use cream cheese as the base, with sharp cheddar, paprika, and garlic powder used to add texture and flavor.

Forming the balls

Once the cheese mixture is combined, I use a cookie scoop to form it into 18 little balls. I then roll each ball in my palms to make them perfectly round. They then get chilled to get the cream cheese firm again and make it easier to roll the balls in to the toppings.

Rolling the balls in toppings

After the cheeseballs have chilled, they are rolled in some crunchy and flavorful toppings that take the cheeseballs to the next level:

  • Crispy bacon crumbles for salt and smokiness
  • Crunchy pecans for texture
  • Chopped chives for flavor
Bowl of crisp bacon crumbles, crunchy pecans and chopped chives

Tips & Tricks

  1. Make sure the cream cheese is softened to make it easier to mix with the shredded cheese and spices.
  2. When cooking the bacon, cook it on the crispy side to make it easier to chop into crumbles.
  3. If you are making these ahead of time, wait to roll the balls in the toppings until it’s time to serve. The bacon will get a little softer when it’s chilled so it’s best if the bacon topping is added just before serving.
Cheeseball Bites with pretzel sticks stuck in the top
Print Recipe

Cheeseball Bites

Prep Time15 mins
Resting time:1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 18 cheeseball bites

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped pecans
  • ¼ cup finely chopped chives
  • 18 short pretzel sticks (NOT pretzel rods)

Instructions

  • Place the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Use a wooden spoon to combine into one cohesive mixture.
  • Using a small spoon or cookie scoop, forma tablespoon-size ball of the cheese mixture and place on a plate lined with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have about 18 mini balls. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Mix together the bacon, chives, and pecans in a shallow dish. Roll the chilled cheeseballs in the mixture until completely coated. Insert a pretzel stick into the top of each cheeseball. Serve immediately

Notes

Serve it up: If you’re bringing these to your event, transport them in a medium storage container with a lid and add the pretzel sticks upon arrival.
Variation tip: You can make these gluten-free by replacing the pretzel sticks with toothpicks or using gluten-free pretzel sticks.
Pin for later:
Cheeseball Bites photo collage

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Pigs in a Blanket Ring
Pigs in a Blanket being dipped into a bowl of dipping sauce in the center of the pigs in a blanket wreath with sprigs on thyme and a platter of plates and with a can of dr pepper on it, shot from a side angle
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21 Comments

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Comments

  1. Steph says

    November 3, 2020 at 9:26 am

    On my Thanksgiving menu! These look so good!

    Reply
  2. Connie says

    November 2, 2020 at 12:46 am

    Love how easy these travel. I would use turkey bacon but the chive is a wonderful addition of flavor and color.

    Reply
  3. Moop Brown says

    November 1, 2020 at 11:19 pm

    These cheeseball bites look like such a tasty and unique combination of flavors. What a perfect appetizer or party dish as well!

    Reply
  4. Heidy says

    November 1, 2020 at 7:20 am

    These Cheeseball Bites were perfect for our small get together the other day. Everyone loved them, and they flew off the table so fast I wished I had made more than one batch of these Cheeseball Bites! Saving this recipe to make again!!!

    Reply
  5. Tammy says

    October 30, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    I love cheeseballs and these individual bites are delicious! Perfect appetizer for the holidays…I wouldn’t be able to stop from eating the whole tray :3

    Reply
  6. Valerie Skinner says

    October 30, 2020 at 8:44 am

    You’re a genius for making this popular appetizer bite sized. I love all of the flavors in these and can’t wait to make them for the holidays this year!

    Reply
  7. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

    October 27, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    Such a great appetizer! Tasty little cream cheese treats with a delectable coating. Yum! Congrats on the second cookbook!

    Reply
  8. Amanda says

    October 27, 2020 at 11:19 am

    I am totally making these for the holidays–perfect for social distancing!

    Reply
  9. Kevin says

    October 27, 2020 at 11:13 am

    I will be adding these to my Holiday appetizer menu! My favorite part is the pretzels for the grabbing! Such a great idea!

    Reply
  10. Ty says

    October 27, 2020 at 11:03 am

    I absolutely love bacon cheeseballs but the addition of the pecans sent them over the top! Thank you so much for sharing this appetizer.

    Reply
  11. Shanna A says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:58 am

    This is the perfect treat for any holiday party. They are so delicious.

    Reply
  12. Rosemary says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:38 am

    Congratulations on the launch of your second book. How exciting. And if this recipe for cheeseball bites is any indication of what to expect. It sounds tasty and amazing. These are perfect little bites for appetizers. Can’t wait to make them at home.

    Reply
  13. Kasia says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:34 am

    These mini cheeseballs look absolutely scrumptious. I would love to make them sometimes. I’m definitely pinning this recipe. Looks delish.

    Reply
  14. Kechi says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Such a fun and flavorful appetizer! Right on time for the holidays; thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  15. Lizet Bowen says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:20 am

    Congrats on your second cookbook! I’m sure it was a lot of work to put it together.
    We will definitely add these cheeseball bites to our Thanksgiving table this year!

    Reply
  16. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    October 27, 2020 at 10:02 am

    I love these little treats – perfect for parties! I don’t know why mini, individual snacks/treats are so much more fun!

    Reply
  17. Deborah Brooks says

    October 27, 2020 at 7:39 am

    You had me at cheese! What a fun idea for Thanksgiving can’t wait to try these out on my family

    Reply
  18. Marta says

    October 26, 2020 at 9:32 pm

    The salty, creamy, and nuttiness of these cheese balls make this a perfect appetizer. And thank you for clarifying which pretzels to use. I would’ve totally picked up the rods, LOL!

    Reply
  19. Colleen says

    October 26, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    This is such a delicious idea for a holiday appetizer! I can’t wait to try these. Bookmarked!

    Reply
  20. Bernice Hill says

    October 26, 2020 at 8:13 pm

    Congratulations on your second cookbook! That’s pretty amazing news and it must be such a thrill to have your name in print. If the book is full of recipes like these cheeseball bites, I’m for sure picking up my copy soon.

    Reply
  21. Candice says

    October 26, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    These are addictively good! I used turkey bacon, and it was so delicious with the cheese and pretzel stick. It was fun to make them as a part of our dinner instead of the usual boring stuff… and ended up being a fun appetizer.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

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