This Pumpkin Cheese Ball is such a fun fall appetizer recipe.
This pumpkin cheese ball doesn’t have any actual pumpkin in it at all! It’s a pumpkin-shaped cheese ball that is fun for displaying at a fall party or holiday gathering. This is a cheese ball that has flavors of sharp cheddar, cream cheese and chive and onion cream cheese too. Simply spiced with paprika (for color) and cayenne pepper (for a tiny bit of spice), this cheese ball a delicious one for entertaining. You might also like my blue cheese ball for the same reasons.
Ingredients needed:
- shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- light cream cheese
- chive and onion cream cheese spread
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- broccoli stalk
- baguette slices and/or apple slices, for serving
Ingredient note:
Use full-fat cream cheese, if you’d like. I prefer to use the light cream cheese for this recipe because it’s a little bit softer and easier to manipulate.
How to make a Pumpkin Cheese Ball:
Combine the shredded cheddar cheese with the cream cheese, chive and onion cream cheese spread, paprika and cayenne pepper. Chill for 4 hours, until the mixture is firm enough to be shaped. Wrap the cheese mixture into a ball. I find it’s easiest to do this in a piece of plastic wrap.
Then set the cheese ball on a plate and turn it into a pumpkin cheese ball. Use clean fingers to make vertical grooves in the sides of the ball to make it appear more pumpkin- like. If you really want to accentuate the grooves, you can put a long strip of carrot peel in each groove.
Cut the broccoli off a broccoli stalk, and then cut it a bit smaller. Add it to the top of the cheese ball to act as the pumpkin stem.
Surround your pumpkin cheese ball with slices of apple and slices of baguette. Pretzels and pita chips are an option for serving too.
How do you keep apple slices from browning:
Don’t cut apples until ready to serve. Toss apple slices in lemon juice or dip in Sprite soda. This helps to prevent apples from browning when sitting at room temperature.
Make Ahead Tip:
Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap without the broccoli stalk and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add the grooves on the pumpkin and the stalk on top when ready to serve.
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 ounces chive and onion cream cheese spread
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 stalk broccoli
- red and green apple wedges and/or baguette slices, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheeses, paprika and red pepper; stir together until well blended. Cover and chill 4 hours or until the mixture is firm enough to be shaped.
- Shape the mixture into a ball to resemble a pumpkin. Smooth the entire outer surface with a frosting spatula or table knife. Make vertical grooves in ball, if desired, using fingertips. Or use long strips of carrot peel to mark the grooves in the pumpkin.
- Cut florets from broccoli stalk and reserve for another use. Cut the stalk to resemble a pumpkin stem, and press into the top of the cheese ball. Serve the cheese ball with apple wedges or baguette slices.
Notes
- You can use full-fat cream cheese if you'd like, but the light cream cheese tends to be a little softer, which makes it easier to spread onto crackers, etc.
- To make ahead, wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap without stalk, and store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Attach the stalk before serving.
- To keep apple slices from browning, toss them in lemon juice, or dip in Sprite!
- Trying serving with pretzels or pita chips too.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yummy and fun, Lori!