Christmas Cheeseball
Add some holiday cheer to your party with a festive Christmas Cheeseball! This easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer can be shaped like Rudolph or a Christmas tree for a fun, edible centerpiece. Serve with crackers and cold cuts for a platter that’s as cute as it is delicious!
Servings: 6 servings (per cheeseball; as an appetizer)
Cost: $8.19
Equipment
Ingredients
Christmas Tree
- 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin Cheese see note 1
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
- 1 yellow pepper
Rudolph
- 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin Cheese
- 1/4 cup pecans see note 2 for toasting instructions
- 2 large pretzel twists
- 2 black olives
- 1 small cherry tomato
Serving suggestions: crackers, cold cuts of meat, etc. (see note 3)
Instructions
Christmas Tree
- Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap. Take the Boursin cheese, unwrap from packaging, and place it on the plastic wrap.Wrap the cheese tightly in the plastic wrap, shaping it into a cone shape that resembles a pine tree. Freeze the cheese for 15 minutes, or refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.Just before serving, unwrap the cheese pine tree and roll it in finely chopped parsley, gently pressing the parsley into the cheese to cover it evenly. Decorate the tree with sliced almonds and pomegranate arils, pressing them gently into the cheese.
- Use a sharp paring knife to cut a star shape out of the yellow pepper and press it into the top of the cheese pine tree. Serve the cheese pine tree with crackers and cold cuts of meat, if desired.
Rudolph
- Toast pecans if desired (for more flavor—see note 2!) Let pecans fully cool, then add to a small food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs (don’t over-pulse or you’ll get pecan butter!) Pour the crumbs into a shallow bowl and set aside until ready to use.Pull out a large sheet of plastic wrap. Unwrap Boursin cheese and plop onto plastic wrap. Wrap it tightly, then shape it into a round ball. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, unwrap the ball shape and roll it in the finely chopped pecans, gently pressing the nuts into the ball. Press 2 pretzels on top to resemble antlers. Cut 2 olives in half and press into ball to resemble eyes. Cut a cherry tomato in half and press into the ball to resemble the red nose. Serve with crackers and cold cuts of meat as desired.
Video
Notes
Note 1: Boursin cheese is widely available in grocery stores and comes in a variety of flavors; I love the garlic and herb-flavored version best for these Christmas cheeseballs. If you’d rather make your own cheeseball from scratch, check out this Cheese Ball Recipe or Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball instead.
Note 2: To toast pecans, spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5–10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned, or cook the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned.
Note 3: Serving Suggestions: Here are some ideas to accompany the cheeseballs: crackers (crispy breadsticks, butter crackers, pita chips, etc.), bread (slices of toasted baguette or mini crostini), and/or vegetables (such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, olives, and cherry tomatoes).
Nutrition Note: Calories are for the Christmas Tree Cheeseball.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them and reheat when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.8g | Protein: 7.3g | Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 24.3mg | Sodium: 162.2mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 0.9g