Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls Recipe
Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls are perfect to serve at your Halloween party or with Thanksgiving dinner. The cheesy bite-size appetizers are rolled in crushed tortilla chips and are quick and easy to make.
Servings: 14 mini cheese balls
Equipment
- medium bowl
- wooden spoon
- Cookie Scoop
- Serving tray
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons bacon pieces
- ½ cup crushed nacho cheese Doritos
- 7 pretzel sticks, broke in half
Instructions
- To make the cream cheese mixture: Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon pieces, and garlic in a medium bowl, and stir well.
- Use a cookie scoop to gather rounded spoonfuls of cheese ball mixture, and drop them onto a plate or platter. Once all of the scoops are formed, roll them into balls.
- Crush the Doritos finely, and place them in a small shallow bowl. Roll cheese balls into the crushed Doritos until it’s fully covered. Place each ball on a wax paper lined tray or plate.
- Break the pretzel sticks in half, and insert pretzels into the center of each coated ball.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour, then serve the little cheese pumpkins with your favorite crackers.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it will be easier to work with.
- Substitute the cheddar cheese for your favorite cheese. Pepper Jack is delicious in this recipe as is Swiss, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, and white cheddar.
- Add a little red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat or spice.
- In place of the crushed nacho cheese Doritios, finely crushed Cheez-It crackers, crushed cheese puffs, more shredded cheese, or toasted pecans.
- Use a food processor to crush the coating of your choice.
- Don’t have pretzel sticks? Try using a small celery stick, a green bell pepper stem, or a jalapeno pepper stem.