Classic Cheese Ball – Easy Cheese Ball

Easy cheese ball recipe made with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, parsley, and rolled in chopped pecans! Classic Cheese Ball is the perfect appetizer for a party or holiday dinner.

Try Pineapple Cheese Ball or Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball if you are looking for something a little less traditional!

I love cheese balls. Whether it’s an easy cheese ball like this one or an Everything Cheese Ball or Bacon Cheese Ball – I love them all!

They just make the perfect appetizer for a holiday party or watching football or just hanging out with your family!

This Classic Cheese Ball is just like the name says: a classic! It’s cream cheese and cheddar cheese mixed with herbs and spices and rolled in pecans. You can serve it with crackers or sliced carrots and celery – whatever you want! 

Ingredients

• Cream cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Green onions
• Fresh parsley
• Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce – I use Louisiana Hot Sauce but you can use your favorite!
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Pecans
• Crackers or sliced vegetables

How To Make a Classic Cheese Ball

• Bring cream cheese to room temperature
• Beat cream cheese until smooth
• Add cheddar cheese, green onions, parsley, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper
• Beat until well combined
• Use a rubber spatula to gather up the cheese mixture
• Shape cheese mixture into a ball 
• Roll cheese ball into chopped pecans
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
• Serve with crackers or sliced vegetables

Tips and Tricks

• The easiest way to coat the cheese ball in pecans is by putting the pecans on a plate and plopping the cheese ball on top. You can either roll it in the pecans or use your fingers to gently press the pecans into the sides and top of the ball. 

Can You Make a Cheese Ball Ahead?

You can definitely make a cheese ball ahead of time! Just make sure to cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve it. 

If you are making it more than a couple hours before you plan to serve it (like the night before), I recommend waiting to roll it into the pecans because you don’t want the pecans to soak up too much moisture and get soggy. So you may need to let your cheese ball sit on the counter for 15 – 20 minutes to soften it before you are able to get the pecans to stick. 

How Long Are Cheese Balls Good For?

Cheese balls are fine in the fridge for up to 1 week. Make sure you store it in an airtight container and throw it out of it starts to look or smell funny. 

Keep in mind that the pecans will start to lose their crunch the longer it sits in the fridge. 

And also be sure to store any crackers away from the cheese ball as they will definitely get soggy!

Can You Freeze a Cheese Ball?

You can freeze a cheese ball but you want to do it before you roll it in anything crunchy. So for this one, before you roll it in the pecans. 

I would wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then tightly in a layer of aluminum foil. And then put it in a freezer ziploc bag, making sure to squeeze out as much air as possible so it stays fresh. 

It should be fine in the freezer for up to 1 month. 

When you are ready to serve it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and then roll in the pecans. 

More Cheesy Appetizers

• Cheesy Sausage and Spinach Dip
• Chicken Burrito Dip
• Bacon Cranberry Baked Brie
• Queso Fundido
• Texas Cheese Fries

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