Thanksgiving Themed Cheese Ball
This Thanksgiving Themed Cheese Ball shaped like a festive turkey is a twist to the classic appetizer to set the tone for your holiday gathering. Made with a spicy cheese spread that brings a subtle heat along with a burst of flavor to your party foods.
Servings: 8 - 10 servings
Equipment
- fork or spoon
- knife
- serving plate
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup pecans, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pretzel rod, broken in half
- 1 cheddar cheese triangle (about ¼ - ½ inch size
- 2 candy eyes
- 3 regular sized pretzel twists
- 4 mini pretzel twists
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and work it with a fork to soften it more. Add the seasonings, pepper jack, and half the pecans and dried cranberries. Mix well, until completely combined.
- Using gloves, mold the mixture into a ball for the body, reserving about a tablespoon or two, and set it on a plate. Mold the remaining tablespoon of mixture into a smaller one. Insert the half pretzel rod into the front middle of the body.
- Next, to make the “head”, press the smaller one around the top of the pretzel stick. Add the cheddar triangle for the beak, and place the candy eyes to make the face.
- Towards the back of the cheeseball, insert a larger pretzel twist into the center, then two others on each side. From the center pretzel, add two mini pretzel twists in front, towards each side, and then the other two next to those.
- Mix the remaining chopped pecans and dried cranberries in a bowl, and use a gloved hand to stick them all around the sphere.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until ready to serve. Serve with veggies, crackers, or pretzels.
Notes
see blog post for tips and variations