Description

These spooky Spider Cheeseballs are a fun and festive Halloween appetizer that’s perfect for parties. Creamy cream cheese and tangy goat cheese are blended with herbs and savory seasonings, then shaped into spider bodies and coated with black sesame seeds. Pretzel sticks form the spider legs for a crunchy contrast. Serve chilled with crackers and pretzels for a creepy yet delicious treat everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Mixture

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
4 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Coating and Legs

1/2 cup black sesame seeds
2 cups pretzel sticks

Serving

Additional pretzels and crackers for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and extra virgin olive oil until smooth and creamy. Then beat in the goat cheese, chopped green onions, minced garlic, dried dill weed, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper until all ingredients are well combined. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
Shape the Spider Bodies: Using your hands, roll the chilled cheese mixture into balls—make small spiders by forming 1 1/2-inch balls or large spiders by forming 3-inch balls. Then, roll each cheese ball in the black sesame seeds, coating them evenly to resemble a spider’s body.
Form the Spider Legs: For small spiders, break four pretzel sticks in half to create eight legs, then press four legs on each side of the cheese ball. For large spiders, use eight whole pretzel sticks, placing four on each side of the ball to mimic spider legs.
Chill Before Serving: Wrap the Spider Cheeseballs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm and ready to serve.
Serve: Arrange the spider cheeseballs on a platter with additional pretzels and crackers on the side for guests to enjoy.

Notes

For best results, ensure the cream cheese is softened before mixing for a smooth texture.
Black sesame seeds give the spiders a realistic look, but you can substitute with finely crushed black olives for a different flavor.
Adjust the size of the cheeseballs according to your serving needs—smaller ones work well for bite-sized appetizers.
These cheeseballs can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Use gluten-free pretzels and crackers to make this recipe gluten-free if needed.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 small cheeseball with legs
Calories: 120
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 4g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 15mg