Tiny cheese balls on a pretzel stick make a super simple snack or party food perfect for any social gathering. My sister made this cheese ball recipe for Christmas and it was a big hit.
Shredded cheese adds body, and any shredded cheese will work, but freshly shredded cheese works best. The outer coating creates a lot of flavor and texture. This cheese ball recipe tastes great with bacon, but the recipe is super adjustable, and you can leave bacon out for a no-meat treat. The nuts add crunch, so use whatever nuts you like.
Ingredients for Cheese Ball Recipe
PRETZEL STICKS
12 oz. softened CREAM CHEESE (about a block and a half of cream cheese)
2 cups freshly shredded CHEESE (choose your favorite cheese!)
1 tsp GARLIC POWDER
1 tsp PAPRIKA
1 tsp BLACK PEPPER
chopped pickled JALAPENO
8oz can crushed PINEAPPLE drained
fresh chopped CHIVES
5-7 pieces extra-crispy chopped BACON
1 cup chopped PECAN or WALNUTS
Pecans can be pretty pricey, but check here for current pecan prices on Amazon.
How to Make Cheese Balls on a Stick
First thing, set the cream cheese out to soften, then cook up a few slices of crispy bacon. When the bacon cools you can crumble it into bits.
Chop and drain the pineapple, because you don’t want the pineapple to be super wet when you add it into the cheese mixture.
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, pineapple, jalapeno, and some chives, then mix well, until all ingredients are well incorporated and smooth.
I’m using a mix of pepper jack and gouda cheese in the recipe video, but use whatever cheese you prefer. I’ve had cheese balls made from cheddar cheese, but I like a white cheese mix, especially if it has a little zing like a pepper jack, and adding pickled jalapeno will also provide some pizzazz.
In a shallow bowl, add chives, nuts, and crumbled bacon and mix to form the cheese ball coating. Add a spoonful of the cheese mixture and roll in the mix until coated, then roll in between your hands to form into a ball. Set the balls aside on a plate, and then insert a pretzel stick into each tiny cheese ball.
Place the cheese balls in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. These cheese balls are fantastic, and they are especially tasty right out of the fridge, so leave them refrigerated until ready to serve.
For another easy party snack, try this family favorite, Easy Pecan Candy Recipe.
Thanks for checking out this easy cheese ball recipe on a pretzel, give it a try and let me know what you think, and and be sure and sign up for our mailing list so you’ll never miss a Chef Buck cooking video, and go ahead and click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck
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