Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as a participant in the Walmart Moms Program.
The holiday season is here and it’s time to indulge in delicious savory and sweet dishes. I love make ahead dishes and when it comes to hosting parties for the holidays or attending them, you always want to be prepared with something delicious! My go to holiday recipe is a cheese ball!
Cheese Balls are awesome everyone loves cheese and the variety of cheese balls vary every holiday season! From savory to sweet and some in between!
There are so many ways to enjoy a cheese ball too but my favorite is with friends and family for the holidays. Here is a great holiday entertaining recipe you should try for your next gathering. It’s easy to make and can even be a make ahead dish. Try this savory cheese ball with a nice smokey kick! Serve with crackers or crisp veggies.
Cranberries and nuts are familiar in many foods served during the holidays but with bacon everything taste better! Wright Bacon always satisfies! They have several flavors of bacon like the limited edition smoked Honey Bourbon and the applewood smoked. We love the hickory smoked bacon best! The ingredients used in my cheese ball are flavorful, affordable and easy to find at your local Walmart!
- 2 cups white sharp cheddar
- 2- 8oz cream cheese blocks
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese
- 5 pieces cooked Wright bacon
- 2 chipotle chiles
- 1tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- Cook bacon and set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, add chipotle chiles, cumin, paprika, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until chipotles are a salsa consistency.
- Add 1 cup of sharp cheddar and pulse.
- Add 2 blocks of cream cheese to a mixer with it add the chipotle and cheese mixture, and the remaining sharp cheddar. Blend until creamy and well combined.
- Place plastic wrap on your working surface about 2 ft in length.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to the plastic wrap. Wrap carefully by starting to form a ball shape when pressing down and wrapping.
- Chill cream cheese ball for about an hour.
- In the food processor pulse separately the bacon, pecans, and cranberries Set on a plate and mix well.
- Remove ball from plastic wrap once chilled. Roll carefully into the bacon cranberry pecan mixture. Be sure to roll and pat the ingredients onto the cheese ball
- Cover in plastic wrap until ready to serve.
- You will need a mixer, food processor, and plastic wrap for this recipe. Also some pretzels or crackers would go great with this cheese ball.
Watch how our cheese ball came together in this video:
Doesn’t it look so delicious?
Enjoy this cheese ball at your next holiday gathering! Let us know how you and your guests liked it!
What is your go to Holiday entertaining recipe?
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!
OH MY! I made this tonight as a trial run recipe for Thanksgiving Day and it was sooooooo out of this world DELICIOUS! This is now my most favorite cheese ball recipe in the world! Thank you so much for sharing, it is sure to be a hit on Thanksgiving.
Hi Tara So glad you liked it!!! Was it easy to make by following the video? Did you find the products easily? So happy to hear you tried it hope you share how your family and friends like it! saludos!!!
I’m back….. came back for the recipe again! It was such a huge hit at Thanksgiving and I had a special request to make it for Christmas. Sorry just now seeing your comment. Yes, I was able to find all the ingredients easily and the recipe is easy. The taste with the cranberries, bacon, chipotle, etc is out of this world. Merry Christmas from our familia to yours!!!