This pumpkin cheese ball recipe makes the perfect appetizer for your next halloween party! It’s so much fun with its darling pumpkin shape, pretzel stem and rosemary leaves.
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This is one of those go-to halloween recipes that is a must make for fall appetizers! There are a few tricks to getting the pumpkin shape right and really nailing this cute appetizer.
We like to add a dash of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the recipe to give it an added kick!
What is a cheese ball made of?
A cheeseball is a mixture of cream cheese, grated cheese and other seasonings. They are often rolled in a sweet or savoury coating and served with crackers.
The best cheese for creating a cheese ball is original Philadelphia cream cheese because of its rich, creamy texture. Cheese balls can be made up to a week in advance, making them awesome for party planning.
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Cheese Ball Supplies:
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or
- Electric mixer
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Serving platter
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Plastic wrap
Pumpkin cheese ball recipe:
Ingredients:
- 8 oz roasted red pepper cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
- Pretzel rod or bell pepper stem
- Sprig of rosemary
Directions:
1. Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and chili flakes in a large bowl.
2. Stir the cheese mixture until well combined.
3. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter.
4. Drop the cream cheese mixture into the center of the cling wrap and wrap to form a ball shape.
5. Use kitchen twine to tie tight lines around the ball of cheese to give it a pumpkin look with vertical grooves. Rubber bands work for this as well.
6. Place the wrapped cheese ball in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
Tip: place it in the freezer for a faster flash freeze.
7. Unwrap the pumpkin-shaped cheese ball from the plastic and twine.
If the twine indents are not as deep as you like, use a butter knife to carve pumpkin lines.
8. Press the pretzel rod into the top of the cheese ball to create a pumpkin stem.
9. Add a spring of rosemary to create a pumpkin leaf.
10. Place on a large platter and serve with your favorite crackers or sliced vegetables.
How to store:
This easy cheese ball recipe is just as good the next day, in fact, its the perfect make-ahead appetizer for the holiday season! Simply store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
If you are like me and enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, try these recipe variations! The options are basically limitless when making cheeseballs.
Recipe ideas to try:
- Coating the outside of the cheese pumpkin in everything bagel seasoning or black sesame seeds.
- Add crushed up nacho cheese doritos or crushed crackers to the outside of the pumpkin for added texture and a great flavor.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese, white cheddar or Tex Mex cheese instead of cheddar.
- Divide this recipe up into smaller portions to make mini pumpkin cheese balls.
- Try adding green onion, garlic powder or onion powder to the cream cheese mixture.
What to serve with a homemade cheese ball:
- Pretzel sticks
- Ritz Crackers
- Tortilla chips
- Pita chips
- Celery sticks
- Sliced green pepper
- Carrot sticks
Whenever we go to a holiday party or host a gathering, I love to have a few snacks to share. Cheeseballs are seriously one of the easiest!
More yummy cheese balls:
- Pumpkin cheese ball recipe
- Turkey cheese ball recipe
- Holiday cheese ball recipe
- Bacon ranch cheese ball
- Halloween cheeseball
- Chocolate chip cheeseball
I love that you only need a few simple ingredients from the grocery store. I try to keep these ones on hand, so that I’m ready for halloween parties!
Pumpkin Cheese Ball Recipe
This pumpkin cheese ball recipe makes the perfect fall appetizer with its darling pumpkin shape, pretzel stem and rosemary leaves.
Ingredients
- 8 oz roasted red pepper cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
- Pretzel rod or bell pepper stem
- Sprig of rosemary
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and chili flakes in a large bowl.
- Stir the cheese mixture until well combined.
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter.
- Drop the cream cheese mixture into the center of the cling wrap and wrap to form a ball shape.
- Use kitchen twine to tie tight lines around the ball of cheese to give it a pumpkin look with vertical grooves. Rubber bands work for this as well.
- Place the wrapped cheese ball in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
- Unwrap the pumpkin-shaped cheese ball from the plastic.
- Press the pretzel rod into the top of the cheese ball to create a pumpkin stem.
- Add a spring of rosemary to create a pumpkin leaf.
- Place on a large platter and serve with your favorite crackers or sliced vegetables.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 128mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
All values are approximate and based on ingredients used by the recipe writer. Always calculate your own individual nutritional values for the most accurate calculation.
