Description
Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls are a festive and flavorful appetizer perfect for fall gatherings. Soft cream cheese combined with sharp cheddar, roasted red peppers, and a hint of cayenne is shaped into bite-sized balls, coated with crunchy coatings like crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds, and garnished with pretzel sticks and parsley to resemble pumpkins. These colorful cheese balls offer a delightful combination of creamy, spicy, and savory flavors with a fun presentation that will impress guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Coatings
- crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos
- paprika
- black sesame seeds
Garnish
- 20 pretzel sticks
- fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- assorted crackers for serving
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add softened cream cheese, grated cheddar cheese, chopped roasted red peppers, green onions, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill Mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheese mixture for about one hour to let it firm up, making it easier to shape.
- Prepare Coatings: On small plates, spread out your chosen coatings: crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds. These coatings add flavor, texture, and vibrant color to the cheese balls.
- Shape Cheese Balls: Using a tablespoon measuring scoop, portion out the chilled cheese mixture. Roll each portion into a small ball and place it on a plate. Repeat until all the mixture is shaped into balls.
- Coat Cheese Balls: Roll each cheese ball in one of the prepared coatings until fully covered. Set coated balls aside.
- Create Pumpkin Details: Use a wooden skewer to gently press vertical and horizontal lines on the surface of each cheese ball to mimic the ridges of a pumpkin.
- Add Pumpkin Stem and Garnish: Insert half of a pretzel stick into the top center of each cheese ball to represent the pumpkin stem. Place a small leaf of fresh parsley next to the pretzel stick for a decorative touch.
- Refrigerate Until Serving: Chill the decorated cheese balls in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve alongside assorted crackers.
Notes
- You may use as many or as few coatings as you prefer. Using multiple coatings adds texture and color diversity, making the cheese balls visually appealing.
- If using only one coating, crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos are recommended for their vibrant color and savory flavor that complement the cheese mixture perfectly.
- To crush Doritos, place them in a sealed plastic bag and crush gently with a rolling pin or heavy object until you have fine crumbs.
- Refrigerating the cheese mixture before shaping is essential for easier handling and cleaner shaped balls.
- These cheese balls can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheese ball
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 0.7g
- Sodium: 175mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
