I love cheese, it has to be one of my favourite foods. It doesn't matter which type of cheese, I love and eat them all: burrata, aged cheddar, gouda, smoked cheese, brie, goat cheese, stinky cheese, charcoal cheese and on and on. I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way, am I right! So lately, as I've been thinking a lot about the holidays and quintessential holiday entertaining appetizers, I've come back to a classic, the cheeseball.
The cheeseball is a perfect appetizer to serve a crowd. It combines at least 2-3 different kinds of cheese, kind of like a cheese buffet all mixed together into one cute ball (or 3 minis!). It's also pretty easy to make and can be made a day or two ahead. I know when I see a cheese ball, I immediately smile, and if you make them into seasonal shapes, it gives people something to talk about at the appetizer station. Win, win.
For this upcoming holiday season, I decided to make Pumpkin Cheese Balls my go-to appy, serving them every time I had guests or needed to take an appetizer somewhere. I took my regular cheese ball recipe and I turned it into a trio of mini pumpkin cheeseballs, all with different seasonal crusts. It was so easy. The pumpkin cheeseball version begins by forming the same spherical cheese ball shape you would normally, then once it's semi-set you add some ridges. Next, roll it in some edible orange crumbs or fall coloured spices and finally, top it with a bell pepper stem. Easy and festive!
In the recipe below, I have list three options for orange or fall coloured cheeseball crust coatings. Visually, I liked the crushed nacho cheese chip crust, as it had the brightest orange colouring, but taste wise the Everything But The Bagel seasoning crust was by far the crowd pleaser.
The pumpkin cheese balls are a stand-out on any holiday table, whether it's Thanksgiving or Halloween. They can be served as the main appy, as I've done above, or they can be one part of a larger fall charcuterie board. Either way, your friends and family are going to love them!
My goal when entertaining is - people finding joy and connecting with others through beauty and good simple food. These Pumpkin Cheeseballs helped me and they will help you achieve your holiday goals as well!
Happy Entertaining,
Krista
Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls
(adapted from here)
Makes 3 minis, or 1 large
Ingredients
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup aged cheddar, shredded (I used orange cheddar for the colour)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Stems from bell pepper, trimmed and washed (if you do not have a bell pepper, a pretzel stick may be substituted for the stem)
Chives, twisted for tendrils
Crust Coating Options:
*Crushed nacho chips - I like Doritos, but any brand will do (place chips into a zip top bag and using a rolling pin, roll the chips to crush)
*Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (my favourite is from Trader Joe's - this idea came from Inspired by Charm & was a crowd favourite)
*Paprika spiced mixture (paprika, pinch of cayenne powder, pinch of onion powder, pinch of garlic powder, cracked black pepper)
Method
Mix all ingredients together until combined and form into either 1 ball or 3 minis. Wrap each ball with cling wrap and smooth out edges, so ball is well-formed with no cracks. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to loosely firm cheese.
Using the blunt end of a skewer or chop stick, gently being careful not to tear the cling wrap, run the tool along the length of the ball from the top to the bottom, creating indents, or the pumpkin's ridges. If you are making one large pumpkin, you can place 3 elastics (make sure they're tight enough over the cheese to crease) over the ball in a criss cross fashion to create ridges. Place back into the refrigerator for 2-4 hours hour.
When ready to serve, remove cling wrap, place one crust option on top of a plate and roll the pumpkin cheese ball to coat. Repeat if making minis, or try one of each crust.
Add bell pepper topper and twist some chives to create a tendril and insert by the stem.
Serve with crackers and fresh fruit or as part of a fall charcuterie platter!
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