Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball

Name: Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces cream cheese (, softened); 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup pecans (, finely chopped)

Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball is an easy holiday snack! Cream cheese mixed with garlic powder, parmesan, and oregano covered in chopped pecans.

You may have had a Cheese Ball. You may have even had a dessert Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheese Ball. But get ready for the easy, cheesy retro party snack on steroids! One bite will have you adding it your favorite party Appetizer Recipes forever.

GARLIC PARMESAN CHEESE BALL

Cheese Balls might be one of the most iconic party dishes ever created. They’ve been appearing on holiday tables, game day spreads, wine nights, etcetera since at least the 1800s. If you have a reason to party, you have a reason to make one of these classic snacks.

This Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball recipe has so much flavor without taking any more time to make than a traditional cheeseball. Even though it only takes about 5 minutes to make, be sure to leave enough time for it to chill in the fridge. The longer you chill the cheeseball, the stronger the flavor will be.

If you want to make a Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball in advance, you can make it complete with the coating up to 3 days in advance. Leave the chopped pecans off until ready to serve and you can store for up to a week in the fridge or a whole month in the freezer!

You can serve a Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball with all kinds of crunchy dippers like crackers, carrots and celery, mini toasts, or the homemade bagel chips later in this post. Cheese lovers need to try Parmesan Crisps with this Cheese Ball for even more nutty parmesan cheese flavor in every bite.

When it comes to leftovers, if you have any, you can use them in so many ways. Obviously you can sneak bites throughout the week, but try them on toast or english muffins. Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball also makes a great bagel spread. Talk about an easy breakfast the morning after your holiday party!

Tips for Making Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball

To make shaping easier and keep the cheeseball from sticking to your hands, refrigerate for at least an hour. Shaping with your hands will warm it back up enough to be pliable and for the nuts to stick.
To serve a Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball, leave it out of the fridge for about 5-10 minutes so it’s easier to dip into. If you had previously frozen it, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
If your cheeseball is too runny (usually from adding too many extras), work in cold, unsalted butter a tablespoon at a time, up to 3 tablespoons.
If you go overboard with the variations or mix-ins, bring your cheeseball back with a combination of 3 tablespoons cream cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat as needed until the texture and flavor are balanced.

MORE CHEESE APPETIZERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can fresh herbs be used in this recipe?

Chives will add a mild oniony flavor to your cheeseball. Make the onion flavor stronger by using green onions or minced shallots. Mince a bunch of fresh parsley to use as the outer layer for a festive and flavorful cheeseball. Use fresh parsley to season the cream cheese.

What other nuts can be used for Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball?

Chopped pecans and slivered almonds both both taste great with a Garlic Parmesan Cheeseball. Or get really holiday themed with crushed roasted chestnuts. Use the chopped nuts as a coating or in the cream cheese mixture.

What other cheeses can be used for Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball?

Mix shredded parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, or mozzarella into the cream cheese for even more cheesy goodness!

Can dried fruit be added to this recipe?

Dried fruit like cranberries, apricots, or golden raisins would taste delicious in a Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball. Rough chop dried fruit into bits before mixing into cream cheese.

How to Make Homemade Bagel Chips

Easily make homemade bagel chips with mini bagels. Slice each mini bagel into 6 thin slices and gently toss slices in olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, etc. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Arrange bagel slices on rack and bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

EVEN MORE HOLIDAY APPETIZER RECIPES

HOW TO STORE GARLIC PARMESAN CHEESE BALL

Serve: Cream cheeseballs should not be left at room temperature for over 2 hours.
Store: Wrap Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball tightly in plastic wrap and keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Freeze Cheeseball without coating. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe bag for up to 1 month in the freezer.

Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball on serving plate with crackers and veggies

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Ingredients

▢ 12 ounces cream cheese , softened
▢ 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
▢ 1/4 cup mayonnaise
▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1 cup pecans , finely chopped

Instructions

To your stand mixer add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano and salt until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Cut a large piece of plastic wrap and add the cheese mixture to the middle.
Wrap into a ball and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Roll the cheese ball into the chopped pecans and serve chilled.