Updated Cheese Ball Trio Recipe (2024)

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Morgan Eisenberg

Morgan Eisenberg is a creative blogger at Host the Toast. She has an absolute obsession over all things edible.

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Updated March 21, 2019

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Why It Works

Starting all three cheese balls with the same base makes it easy to offer variations with minimal work.
Flavorful cheeses and good pairings for coatings give these retro cheese balls a modern update.

There is one mid-century dish that does not deserve to be lumped in with the other molds and loaves. It, too, involves processing ingredients until smooth and then molding them into an unnatural shape. It's the cheese ball, and it's actually delicious. But how do we inject some allure into the kitsch? We take away the junk (I'm looking at you, waxy pre-shredded cheddar), we use more flavorful ingredients, and we give people options. Nothing says sultry like a tray full of cheesy choices, am I right?

Reinvent Retro This Holiday With A Trio Of Updated Cheese Balls

Recipe Details

Updated Cheese Ball Trio Recipe

Active60 mins

Total3 hrs

Serves16 servings

Ingredients

For the Base:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (675g)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (30ml)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt(2g)
1/4 teaspoon pepper(1g)
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (about .25 ounces; 7g)

For the Goat Cheese, Lemon, and Herb Cheese Balls:

1/3 base mixture (about 1 1/4 cups)
8 ouncesfresh goat cheese (225g)
3/4 cupassorted fresh herbs such as chives, mint, basil, and parsley, finely minced (175ml)
2 teaspoonsfreshly grated lemon zest (10ml)
Coarsely ground black pepper

For the Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnut, and Pomegranate Cheese Balls

1/3 base mixture (about 1 1/4 cups)
8 ounces crumbled blue cheese (225g)
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (about 4 ounces; 115g)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (about 2 ounces; 55g)

For the Goat Cheese, Lemon, and Herb Cheese Balls:

1/3 base mixture (about 1 1/4 cups)
8 ouncescrumbled feta cheese (225g)
10 small sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 ounces; 55g)
1 cup toasted pine nuts (about 6 ounces; 170g)

Directions

For the Base: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the chives and process again until just combined. Remove from the food processor and divide into thirds.
For the Goat Cheese, Lemon, and Herb Cheese Balls: Add 1/3 of base mixture to the bowl of a clean food processor. Add goat cheese and process until smooth and well-combined. Transfer mixture to a sealable container and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer mixture to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the cheese firmly in the plastic wrap and use your hands to mold into a sphere. Place the plastic-wrapped ball back in the refrigerator and chill until firm again, about 1 hour.
Combine herbs, lemon zest, and plenty of ground black pepper on a large plate. Remove the goat cheese ball from the plastic wrapping and roll it in the chopped herbs until fully coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnut, and Pomegranate Cheese Balls: Add 1/3 of base mixture to the bowl of a clean food processor. Add blue cheese and process until smooth and well-combined. Transfer mixture to a sealable container and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer mixture to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the cheese firmly in the plastic wrap and use your hands to mold into a sphere. Place the plastic-wrapped ball back in the refrigerator and chill until firm again, about 1 hour.
Combine chopped walnuts and pomegranate seeds on a large plate. Remove the blue cheese ball from the plastic wrapping and roll it in the chopped nuts until fully coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Feta Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Pine Nut Cheese Balls: Add 1/3 of base mixture to the bowl of a clean food processor. Add feta and sun-dried tomatoes and process until smooth and well-combined. Transfer mixture to a sealable container and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer mixture to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the cheese firmly in the plastic wrap and use your hands to mold into a sphere. Place the plastic-wrapped ball back in the refrigerator and chill until firm again, about 1 hour.
Spread toasted pine nuts on a large plate. Remove the feta cheese ball from the plastic wrapping and roll it in the chopped nuts until fully coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve cheese balls with chips, pita, crostini, crackers, pretzels, or vegetables.

Notes

You can make any individual cheese ball recipe by scaling the base recipe down to one third.

Special Equipment

Food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Reinvent Retro This Holiday With A Trio Of Updated Cheese Balls

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
404	Calories
37g	Fat
9g	Carbs
13g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	404
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g	47%
Saturated Fat 16g	82%
Cholesterol 72mg	24%
Sodium 543mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 3mg	17%
Calcium 222mg	17%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 335mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

FAQs

Why are UTZ cheese balls so good? ›

Utz Cheese Balls are absolutely the best cheese flavored snack you can buy. Made with real cheese and gluten free, these bad boys come in a 1lb 7 oz tub; perfect for parties, snack time or just pigging out. The flavor is easily superior to other brands I've tried.

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What is a LeBlanc's famous cheeseball? ›

LeBlanc's Fabulous Cheese Ball

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, onions, mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne, paprika, Tabasco, Worcestershire, Accent seasoning and Lawry's seasoning. Shape into one large or two small balls; roll in chopped pecans to coat. Chill overnight. Serve with assorted crackers.

Why is my cheese ball too soft? ›

Remove cheese ball from the fridge 30 minutes before serving so the cheese has time to soften and become more spreadable. Why is my cheese ball too soft? A cheese ball can be too soft if reduced fat or nonfat cream cheese is used. Stick to regular, full fat block-style cream cheese.

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Do UTZ cheese balls taste like Cheetos? ›

Most importantly, I think Cheese balls win the flavor battle. Despite having less sodium per serving that Cheetos Puffs (260mg vs 300mg per 1oz ), UTZ Cheese Balls taste saltier and cheesier. I think this is due to the use of actual cheese by UTZ rather than the cheese seasoning used in the Cheetos.

Why are Utz chips not sold in California? ›

WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including acrylamide, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer.

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What is a cheese ball slang? ›

plural cheeseballs. chiefly US, informal. : a person who lacks style or good taste : a cheesy person. The other person of interest is … in his mid-30s, works in New York's fashion industry, and considers his looks a hobby.

Get More Info Here ›

Who made the original cheese ball? ›

"According to legend," writes Michelle Buffardi, author of Great Balls of Cheese, "the first cheese ball in recorded history was made in 1801 by Elisha Brown, Jr. on his farm and presented to President Thomas Jefferson" at the White House.

What is cheese in a ball called? ›

Cheese ball or Cheeseball may refer to: Bocconcini, mozzarella cheese balls. Cheese puffs, a processed snack made from puffed corn and cheese, sometimes ball-shaped. Cheese spread, usually served around Christmas in the United States and Canada.

Get More Info ›

Can I freeze a cheese ball? ›

Cheese balls freeze quite well. Again, it's best to wrap the cheese ball in one layer of plastic wrap, then one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to four weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

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What utensils go with cheese ball? ›

Perhaps the most classic cheeseball combo includes port wine, cheddar, and pecans. Set out crackers and a cheese knife, and the cheese ball is ready to serve.

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How long will a cheese ball last in the refrigerator? ›

Storing in Fridge: If you start with fresh ingredients, you can store the cheese ball in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. How to Freeze: I prefer a freshly made cheese ball, BUT you can freeze cheese balls.

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How to firm up cheeseball? ›

Holding the four corners of the plastic in one hand, twist the cheese with your other hand to seal the plastic and shape the cheese into a rough ball. Don't worry if the cheese is soft. It will firm up in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the cheese ball is firm enough to handle.

How to stop cheese balls from bursting? ›

To prevent the cheese from leaking out during frying, make sure to refrigerate the cheese balls for at least 10 minutes before coating them. This helps firm up the cheese, reducing the likelihood of it melting too quickly in the hot oil.

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What are UTZ cheese balls made of? ›

They are made with coarsely ground corn meal that's deposited into an extruder, which exerts enough pressure onto the corn meal to turn it into a gel. The gel is squeezed into a long string and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Keep Reading ›

Why is Utz so good? ›

And while we may have new shiny equipment to slow-cook our chips, we still start with fresh farm-grown potatoes and use clean, simple ingredients. Our Utz SnackMasters finely craft each small batch. As a result, our snacks are crunchier, lighter, fresher and simply taste better.

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Why are cheese balls addicting? ›

"There's the initial snap, followed by the layer of salt, the puff of cheese, and the buttery-rich fat that melts on the tongue. With each bite, the brain is rewarded with instant feelings of pleasure. It's difficult to stop; and that's exactly what food manufacturers strive for."

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Are cheese balls healthy to eat? ›

Are cheese balls healthy? Cheese balls can be a tasty snack, but they are not considered to be a healthy choice. They are often high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium, which should be consumed in moderation.