Description

Celebrate the holidays with this festive Rudolph Cheese Ball, a creamy and flavorful appetizer perfect for parties. Made with sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and a touch of spicy horseradish mustard, this cheese ball is coated in crunchy pecans and decorated with a cherry tomato nose, olive eyes, and pretzel antlers for a fun and tasty treat everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Ball

8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp hot horseradish mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Coating

1/2 cup crushed pecans

Decoration

1 cherry tomato (for nose)
2 black olives (for eyes)
2 twisted pretzels (for antlers)

Instructions

Mix ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, hot horseradish mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
Shape the cheese mixture: Transfer the cheese mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to shape the mixture into a round ball. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the ball to firm up.
Coat the cheese ball: Remove the chilled cheese ball from the refrigerator. Roll it in the crushed pecans, pressing gently to ensure the nuts stick evenly all around the cheese ball.
Decorate: Place the cherry tomato on the front of the cheese ball as Rudolph’s nose. Use the black olives for the eyes, positioning them above the nose. Insert the twisted pretzels on top of the ball to serve as antlers. You can use your fingers to make slight indentations on the cheese ball to help hold the decorations in place.
Serve: Arrange the decorated cheese ball on a serving platter alongside crackers, additional pretzels, chips, or veggie sticks for dipping. Enjoy this festive appetizer at your holiday gathering.

Notes

Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
Chilling the cheese ball for at least 1 hour helps it firm up for easier shaping and coating.
Feel free to substitute pecans with other nuts like walnuts or almonds based on preference.
This cheese ball can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until serving time.
Use a mix of mild and sharp cheddar for a balanced flavor, or adjust according to your taste.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: holiday appetizer, cheese ball, Christmas appetizer, party snack, festive cheese ball, savory cheese ball, pecan coated cheese ball