Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls! Holiday entertaining has never been easier or more delicious! So easy to make and gorgeous too! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s! (Can be made in advance!)
Looking for more holiday appetizers? Check out these favorites: Stuffed Mushrooms, Cranberry Orange Relish and this gorgeous Charcuterie Board!
The holiday entertaining season is officially upon us and today I’m bringing you an appetizer recipe that everyone is going to love! Whether you decide to serve these Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, they will be the star of the night!
I’m a bit obsessed with cheese balls. Sweet, savory, I take ’em any way I can get ’em. I love mixing and matching flavors and coming up with new and exciting combinations that will please friends and family.
I’m especially pleased wth this winning combination: cream cheese, goat cheese, white cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, pecans, and chives come together for a pleasantly savory appetizer that is just as pretty as it is delicious.
To make the cheese balls uniform in size, I used a cookie scoop. Using my hands, I rolled each scoop into a ball and then coated with either chopped chives, dried cranberries, pecans, or a combination of all three. Hard to say which I like best!
Because there are so few ingredients, it’s important to use the highest quality ingredients you can find. I used Challenge cream cheese for my mini cheese balls because it is extra creamy and delicious!
I served the mini cheese balls with a pretzel stick in them. Makes them so easy to pick up and it looks cute too! Make sure to serve with extra pretzels and crackers for your guests.
You’ll notice that the cheese balls are covered in a dried cranberries, chives, and pecans. I love how festive this looks! Since I had an extra couple minutes, I tied chives into bows around the pretzel sticks. Totally optional, but FUN!
More Delicious Cranberry Recipes
- Cranberry Bars
- Cranberry Orange Relish
- Best Ever Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Bread
- Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites
Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz packages Challengecream cheese softened
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 4 oz white cheddar cheese grated (I grate the cheese on the smaller opening)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
Coating
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 30 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until combined.
- Use a cooke scoop to scoop out small balls.
- Roll into a ball using your hands.
- Place chives, pecans, and cranberries into separate, shallow bowls.
- Roll the cheese balls into your desired coating and spear with a pretzel stick.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- If preparing more than 4 hours in advance, don’t add the pretzel sticks until ready to serve.
- Serve with assorted crackers and pretzels.
Video
Have a great day!
Disclaimer: As an Ambassador for Challenge, I was provided product and compensation for this post by Challenge Butter, but all opinions are, as always 100% my own. I LOVE Challenge Butter!
Marsha says
Can I use walnuts in place of pecans?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely!