Name: Classic Cheese Ball
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: 2 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tsp worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp hot sauce (I use Louisiana hot sauce); 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped; crackers or sliced vegetables, for serving

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

Cheese ball rolled in pecans surrounded by crackers on a white plate

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

2 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
⅓ cup green onions
1 tbsp fresh parsley
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce – I use Louisiana Hot Sauce but you can use your favorite!
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup pecans
crackers or sliced vegetables

Cheese ball on top of pecans on a white plate

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

Cheese ball covered in pecans on a white plate with extra pecans on plate

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.

Cheese ball coated in pecans with Ritz crackers around it and parsley in the background

More Cheesy Appetizers

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