Mini cheese balls are bite-sized appetizers of the classic party’s favorite cheese balls. These are the perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas party, New Year’s Eve, gameday, or anytime. Its cheese balls are served in individual portions rolled in nuts and bacon and topped with salty pretzel sticks!
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Cheese ball bites
Get the party started with these delicious mini cheese ball bites. They are very easy to make, flavorful, customizable, and cute little finger food appetizers perfect for holiday parties. Made just like the big cheese balls version, but small scoops of it are rolled in the bacon-nuts-parsley-scallion mix. These mini bites are topped off with pretzel sticks so it’s easy to grab and pop in your mouth! Enjoy these cheese balls with crackers, crostini, or vegetables as a dip.
These luscious and addictive bite-sized appetizers are bursting with the creaminess of cream cheese, sour cream, and different toppings that can be used to balance the rich creaminess of this recipe. While every cheese ball has the same core ingredients cream cheese, sour cream (or mayonnaise sometimes), shredded cheese, and some flavor agents. The flavors can be altered, and the coating as well.
A perfect appetizer for any gatherings, Thanksgiving gatherings, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, game day. It’s a perfect finger food. Kids and adults both love them. Very addictive, trust me – it’s one of the decadent appetizers.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need-
Cheese balls
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened (use full fat for best results)
- ½ cup sour cream (use full fat for best results)
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (can also use sharp yellow cheddar or freshly shredded mozzarella)
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper (adjust to taste)
- â…“ cup green onion
Coating
- ¾ cup real bacon bits
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onion
- Pretzel sticks
Ingredients additions & substitutions
Creamier
Best to use full-fat cream cheese and full-fat sour cream in the cheese balls.
Flavor
To enhance the flavors add one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce, and 2 teaspoons of dry ranch seasoning. Use a mix of all three or just one.
Crunch
For a crunchier texture fold in finely chopped red bell peppers into the cheese mix.
Substitute pecans with other types of nuts like almonds, pistachios or walnuts.
Spicy
To add little heat, fold in small amount of red pepper flakes or chopped jalapenos to the mix. Try adding a teaspoon of hot sauce to the cheese mix.
Possible variations
Feel free to add variety of flavors by coating mini cheese balls in different combinations of coating. Here’s some of the variations –
- Chopped dried cranberries-chopped pistachios and chopped rosemary mix
- A mix of bacon bits and chives
- Grated dried minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
- Mix of chopped fresh herbs like parsley and chives
How to make mini cheese balls
You’ll need the cream cheese softened before you start. Make sure to remove ingredients from the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes before making the appetizer.
In a bowl beat together softened cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper until well combined.
Fold in green onion. If you like to add additional ingredients for more flavor and taste you can do it now. Some of the options are finely diced red bell peppers, a dash of hot sauce, or any other ingredients you want to use.
Cover the mix and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour.
In a small bowl mix real bacon bits, chopped pecans, finely chopped parsley, and green onion.
Once the cheese mixture is cooled enough to handle, scoop out the mixture and roll it in the bacon-nuts mixture to coat evenly.
Insert a pretzel stick into each mini balls and serve.
Mini cheese balls can be served as an appetizer as a dip for crackers, crostini, crudité, bagel chips, pita chips.
FAQS
These cheese ball bites are individual serving that is served with pretzel sticks. It’s easy for guests to grab one and enjoy it with one of the following-
Crostini
Pita chips
Bagel chips
Carrot sticks or celery sticks
Crackers or saltines.
Yes, you can prep the entire recipe the night before except for placing the pretzel sticks and letting them sit in the refrigerator overnight. Place these mini balls rolled in your favorite coating on a serving tray, tightly cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate it 24 hours in advance. Just before serving stick a pretzel stick on each mini ball and serve.
If serving within a few hours, you can roll it in bacon and nuts mix, they will stay crunchy (if not quite crunchy but still good enough) for a few hours. If planning to serve after 24 hours, recommend you add the nuts coating when ready to serve.
The base of any cheese balls is cream cheese, it’s a must. You can substitute sour cream with full-fat mayonnaise if you like. With shredded cheese I would recommend any of these – shredded white cheddar, yellow cheddar, mozzarella or try with other cheese like Pepper Jack or Swiss cheese.
When storing, make sure to remove pretzel sticks and cover the cheese balls in air tight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 to 4 days.
You must remove pretzel sticks while storing them, they will get soggy.
I do not recommend freezing these mini cheese balls. Diary doesn’t keep well when frozen. The consistency of the cheese will become grainy when thawed.
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📋Mini Cheese Balls
Ingredients
Cheese balls
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened (use full fat for best results)
- ½ cup sour cream use full fat for best results
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese shredded (can also use sharp yellow cheddar or freshly shredded mozzarella)
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper adjust to taste
- â…“ cup green onion
Coating
- ¾ cup real bacon bits
- ¾ cup pecans chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onion
- Pretzel sticks
Instructions
- You’ll need the cream cheese softened before you start. Make sure to remove ingredients from the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes before making the appetizer.
- In a bowl beat together softened cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper until well combined.
- Fold in green onion. If you like to add additional ingredients for more flavor and taste you can do it now. Some of the options are finely diced red bell peppers, a dash of hot sauce, or any other ingredients you want to use.
- Cover the mix and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour.
- In a small bowl mix real bacon bits, chopped pecans, finely chopped parsley, and green onion.
- Once the cheese mixture is cooled enough to handle, scoop out the mixture and roll it in the bacon-nuts mixture to coat evenly.
- Insert a pretzel stick into each mini ball and serve.
- Mini cheese balls can be served as an appetizer or as a dip for crackers, crostini, crudité, bagel chips, or pita chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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