Description
These Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls are a festive and flavorful appetizer perfect for fall gatherings. Creamy cream cheese and sharp cheddar blend with sweet roasted red peppers and a hint of spice, then coated in crunchy toppings to resemble little pumpkins. With pretzel sticks as stems and parsley leaves for garnish, they’re as charming as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Coatings
- Crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos
- Paprika
- Black sesame seeds
Garnish
- 20 pretzel sticks (for pumpkin stems)
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley (for leaves)
- Assorted crackers (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, grated cheddar cheese, finely chopped roasted red peppers, chopped green onions, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely blended and uniform in texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill the mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for about one hour. This step firms up the cheese mixture, making it easier to form into balls.
- Prepare coatings: Spread your chosen coatings—crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds—onto separate small plates. If crushing Doritos, place them in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.
- Form cheese balls: Using a tablespoon measuring scoop, portion out the chilled cheese mixture. Roll each portion between your hands to form smooth, even balls. Place them on a plate or tray as you go.
- Coat the cheese balls: Roll each ball in one of the prepared coatings until evenly covered. Set each coated ball aside on a platter.
- Create pumpkin details: Use a wooden skewer to gently press vertical marks around the sides and a crosswise mark on top of each ball, mimicking the ridges of a pumpkin.
- Add stems and leaves: Insert half of a pretzel stick into the top center of each mini cheese ball to serve as the pumpkin stem. Garnish with a small leaf of fresh flat-leaf parsley next to the stem for a decorative touch.
- Serve or store: Refrigerate the mini pumpkin cheese balls until ready to serve. Arrange on a platter with assorted crackers for a festive appetizer presentation.
Notes
- You can vary the coatings as much or as little as you like. Using multiple coatings adds texture and visual interest, but using just one, especially crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, provides excellent flavor and a vibrant pumpkin color.
- To crush Doritos easily, place them in a sturdy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until the crumbs are fine and even.
- For best results, chill the cheese mixture thoroughly before rolling into balls to ensure they hold their shape well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheese ball
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
