I made cranberry walnut cheese balls on Christmas night last year, and my whole family demolished them before the main course made it to the table. This is the appetizer I now plan around when I need something that can be made ahead, kept cold, and set out right as guests arrive.
The Make-Ahead Timeline
The real reason I like this recipe is the timeline. You can do almost all of it the day before, which matters when you have a full house or a long to-cook list.
Day before, beat the cream cheese, stir everything together, and refrigerate the bowl for at least 1 hour. Once the mixture is firm, scoop and roll it into balls, set them on a parchment lined tray, cover, and refrigerate overnight. I wait to coat them until the next day so the nuts stay crunchier.
Morning of, mix the walnut and parsley coating on a plate, roll the chilled balls in it, and arrange them on the serving platter. Cover and return to the fridge.
Right before serving, take the platter out 10 minutes early so the cheese softens just enough to spread on a cracker, but not so much it loses its shape. If you only remember the morning of, the 1 hour chill is enough to get you through.
Shopping Notes and the Pecan Swap
I used pecans instead of walnuts last year because that's what was in the pantry. They worked really well, and I'd make that swap again. Pecans taste a little sweeter and less bitter than walnuts, but both hold up in the coating. Just chop them fine, almost like coarse crumbs, so they stick and the balls stay round.
Cream cheese should be a full fat block. Low fat versions have more moisture and can make the mixture sticky and soft, which is exactly what you don't want when rolling. I also shred my own sharp cheddar from a block because the pre-shredded bags can be drier and don't blend as smoothly into the cream cheese. Dried cranberries need a fine chop too. If you leave them whole, the balls look bumpy and fall apart when you roll them.
A pinch of cinnamon is my only planned change for next time. It's not in the recipe card, but I think it will warm up the dried cranberries without making the balls sweet.
Rolling Without the Sticky Hands
I will be honest: rolling these got messy the first time. The mixture stuck to my hands, and I had to stop and wash them constantly. The fix is simple. Keep a small bowl of cold water next to you and wet your hands lightly before you shape each ball. The moisture stops the cheese from sticking, and the balls stay smooth. Food-safe gloves also work if you don't want to fuss with water.
Scoop the mixture by heaping tablespoons. Roll quickly between your palms without pressing hard. If the mixture starts to feel warm or sticky, put the bowl back in the fridge for 10 minutes and start again. Cold mixture rolls far better than room temperature mixture.
For the coating, I press each ball into the walnuts and parsley rather than rolling it around too much. A gentle press makes the coating stick without flattening the ball.
Scaling for a Crowd or a Small Table
One batch makes about 20 balls, which is enough for about 10 people if you're serving other appetizers. For a bigger holiday party I'd double it and shape 40. A double batch still fits in a stand mixer, but you may need to chill the bowl in two batches if your fridge is full. If you're only feeding a few people, halve everything and make 10 smaller balls. The recipe is forgiving as long as you keep the ratio of cream cheese to add-ins roughly the same.
Serving, Transporting, and Keeping the Coating Crunchy
These cranberry walnut cheese balls are best served cold or slightly cool. Straight from the fridge they hold their shape and don't crumble into the crackers. I put out a platter with plain butter crackers and pretzel sticks. The pretzel sticks are nice because people can spear a ball without using their hands.
If you're bringing them to another house, pack the balls in a single layer in a lidded container with parchment between layers. The coating will soften a little in the fridge, so if I'm traveling I'll sometimes carry the walnut parsley mixture separately and re-roll at the destination. Keep the container in a cooler or an insulated bag if the drive is long.
If you need another make-ahead holiday dessert for the same table, the Christmas gnome chocolate cheesecakes have saved me more than once.
Leftovers and How to Use Them
Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The nuts lose some crunch, but the flavor is still good. I've spread the leftovers on bagels the next morning, which is not traditional but it works. I would not freeze these. Cream cheese can turn grainy and weep after thawing, and the cranberries get tough.
On Christmas night the plate came back with only a few bits of parsley and walnut left. That's when I knew these cranberry walnut cheese balls had earned a permanent spot on the holiday table.
Cranberry Walnut Cheese Balls
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese 227 g, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 ounces / 113 g
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries 60 g, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 50 g
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Rolling
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 50 g
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or spatula until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar, chopped dried cranberries, 1/2 cup walnuts, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the mixture is firm enough to shape.
- Mix the 1/2 cup walnuts and parsley together on a plate.
- Scoop the chilled mixture by heaping tablespoons and roll into about 20 balls. Lightly dampen hands to prevent sticking.
- Roll each ball in the walnut and parsley mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks.
- Place the balls on a platter or lined tray and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve cold or slightly cool with crackers or pretzel sticks.
Notes
Walnuts can be swapped for pecans. A small pinch of cinnamon in the cream cheese mixture is a nice addition.
Shape the balls a day ahead and refrigerate. Coat them on the day of serving so the nuts stay crunchy.
Leftovers keep refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days.
