21 Crowd Favorite Cheese Ball Recipes

If you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer for your next party, cheese balls are clearly the answer. Cheese balls are exactly what they sound like: a large sphere of yummy cheese perfect for dipping. You essentially make them with two types of cheese or more. Usually, the main component is soft cheese, such as goat cheese, mascarpone, or, most popular, cream cheese. Additionally, the use of shredded cheese gives the starter a fabulous texture. Meanwhile, assorted spices and fresh herbs help enhance its flavor.

You can even roll it in something crunchy after the ball sets in the refrigerator, with toppings such as nuts, cracker crumbs, or seeds. When you serve this at a gathering, it allows your guests to dip carrots, cauliflower, crackers, celery, and more for a delicious snack. Even if you think you’ve made every type of cheese ball possible, you’ll be surprised by the unique combinations that these recipes use. Many of them will give you a new approach to this lovely appetizer, so you can serve something that your guests will be raving about!

1. Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball

This cheese ball brings you the flavors of a classic jalapeno popper without the hassle of individually filling jalapeno peppers. The base has softened cream cheese, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese. Cooked bacon bits give this cheese ball a nice crunchy exterior, and the jalapenos provide the perfect level of spiciness. Use green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to impart even more flavor to this dish.

2. Best Cheese Ball with Dried Beef

Everyone knows that meat and cheese are a classic, delicious combination. This cheese ball has a super simple composition with only four ingredients. However, the dried beef provides plenty of umami flavor. Aside from that, all you need is cream cheese, garlic powder, and green onions. This is a super easy starter to make, and it serves up to 16 people!

3. Manchego Chipotle Cheese Ball

The unique display of this incredible cheese ball instantly catches anybody’s eye because of its vibrant green exterior. The chives, pumpkin seeds, and poppy seeds enclose the cheese and give the effect of a shell. When you dig into the center, you are met with a blend of silky butter, onions, cream cheese, chipotle, Manchego cheese, and more. Use veggies, crackers, or even tortilla chips for dipping!

4. Pineapple Cheese Ball

This cheese ball has the unique addition of zesty crushed pineapple, which contrasts with the creamy cheese. It also has chopped green peppers, onions, walnuts, and cream cheese. As far as seasonings go, all you need is salt to flavor this appetizer. The nuts and tart pineapple provide more than enough bursting flavor in every bite! If you don’t have walnuts, you can always substitute them for a different nut, such as almonds or pecans.

5. Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese Ball

The Country Cook created this festive and adorable cheese ball recipe that is perfect for the autumn months. You can form the shape of a pumpkin with the cheese, and the recipe explains how to do so in such an easy way. Additionally, the cheese ball has orange undertones due to the sharp cheddar cheese, making it resemble a pumpkin. Inside, it has flavors of cream cheese, vegetable cream cheese, ranch dressing seasoning, peppers, and onions.

6. Cheese Ball

Don’t be fooled by the simple looks and taste of this cheese ball. Sometimes, classic recipes are the best form of sophistication! This recipe requires cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese as the base. To flavor it, use garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. The outside of the cheese ball has a layer of crispy chopped pecans to give it a nutty undertone that perfectly balances the seasonings and cheese.

7. Ham Cheese Ball

You won’t be able to get enough of this incredible ham and cheese ball! With only a handful of ingredients, there’s no reason not to make this. It has diced ham, green onions, and cream cheese. The recipe recommends serving it with Ritz crackers, but you can use whichever cracker you wish. We suggest whole grain crackers because they are healthy and taste phenomenal with the meat and cheese!

8. Maple Roasted Pecan Cheese Ball

If you want to create an appetizer that will have everyone turning their heads, this is the clear choice. This cheese ball has flavors of maple-roasted pecans, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, jalapenos, and more. It has a unique blend of sweet, spicy, and savory elements that make your taste buds dance. The base of the recipe has sharp white cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Specifically, the recipe recommends that you enjoy this fancy cheese ball with toasted bread slices.

9. Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

This mouthwatering cheese ball has a holiday food feel due to the cranberries and pecans. However, you can enjoy it anytime, you don’t need a special occasion. The base has cream cheese, white sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and chives. The dried fruit and nuts are just the cherry on top! This specific recipe tastes wonderful if you dip pretzels or pita chips in it.

10.  Everything But The Bagel Cheese Ball

When many people think of cream cheese, they think of it smothered on a classic, tasty everything bagel. We crafted a recipe that encompasses all of these flavors in a cheese ball. To keep it healthy, we use light cream cheese and fat-free sour cream, as well as 0% plain Greek yogurt. Additionally, all you need is green onion, light shredded cheese, and Everything But The Bagel seasoning to complete this dish!

11. Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

Here’s a recipe that people of all ages will love, especially the kids. The nostalgic flavor of ranch gives this cheese ball a phenomenal flavor. To make it, you need green onions, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon. Make sure to use crumbled bacon bits so that they aren’t too large and can be mixed throughout the cheese. We suggest serving this with a variety of fresh, crisp veggies!

12. Mini Bacon Onion Ranch Cheese Balls

Looking for the flavors of ranch and bacon but with a different presentation? This unique recipe helps you to make miniature cheese balls, which come in individual portions. You can stick pretzel sticks inside of the cheese for serving! Taste of the Frontier posted this recipe, and we love how different it is from the average cheese ball. Some of the best ingredients in the appetizer include minced onions, bacon bits, parsley, and fried onions.

13. Garlic and Onion Cheddar Cheese Ball

This recipe is for all of the garlic fans out there. The cheese ball has a cream cheese base with green onions, cheddar cheese, and chopped pecans. Use garlic salt, providing a garlicky flavor and salty undertones, so it’s the best of both worlds. If you wish, you could even add in some minced, sauteed garlic for a more pronounced flavor. We think this recipe tastes delicious with Wheat Thins!

14. Cheddar & Onion Cheese Ball

This gluten-free and vegetarian cheese ball is great for when you have guests with special dietary needs. Don’t get the wrong idea, though. It is still delicious, despite it being low-carb, too! This recipe uses cream cheese, white cheddar cheese, minced onions, chives, and green onions. The flavor comes from the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Hungry yet?

15. Vegan Cheese Ball

If you have to stay away from animal products, you can always make a cheese ball with vegan cheese! You’ll be surprised how it still has a cheese-like taste and a similar texture. This recipe uses vegan butter, sage, garlic, and green onions. The base has vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese! Coat it with pecans for a crunchy and gorgeous display.

16. White Cheddar Cheese Ball

Slim Sanity posted this recipe for an almond-covered cheese ball that is just too incredible to ignore. You can use sliced or slivered almonds, which give a different look than if you use other nuts. The recipe includes low-fat cream cheese, shredded white cheddar cheese, grated onion, and garlic powder to keep it nice and light. It might not need salt, but if it does, all you need is a dash!

17. Mini Pistachio Cheese Balls                

These mini cheese balls are about the size of a cake pop, which is perfect for when you are serving a bunch of different finger foods at a party. Place wooden sticks in the mini cheese balls so you can easily lift them. The recipe is as simple as it gets, with goat cheese on the inside and pistachios on the outside. Although it’s a basic dish, the goat cheese is creamy and does not need any seasonings.

18. Fig and Goat Cheese Ball

Speaking of goat cheese, this cheese ball also contains goat cheese, as well as figs. Specifically, the recipe consists of plain cream cheese, goat cheese, fig preserves, and chopped walnuts. Eat Drink Love Recommends that you dip crackers or fresh, sliced apples in the dip. We love the idea of the apples since they pair so well with the cheese and figs! Especially Granny Smith apples, which are slightly tart.

19. Smoked Cheese Ball

Did you realize that you can infuse your cheese ball with a wood-smoked flavor? This recipe is mind-blowing because of how easy it is to accomplish. All you need is smoked gouda cheese, cream cheese, butter, milk, and crushed pecans. The smoked gouda helps with the smokiness, but the liquid smoke plays a major part, so don’t skip out on it. Enjoy this with toasted baguette slices!

20. Green Chile Cheese Ball

This cheese ball recipe by Sweeter with Sugar, has a complex flavor due to the numerous ingredients. It has dill weed, celery seed, onion salt, pepper jack cheese, and diced green chiles. Furthermore, flavors of sour cream, mayonnaise, and cream cheese provide a velvety consistency that’s balanced with the chopped chile peppers. The best part? It only takes 10 minutes to assemble; then you can refrigerate it to set!

21. Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball

With shredded chicken as part of the base, this cheese ball is a bit more satisfying than the average one. It has cream cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, Buffalo sauce, green onions, and garlic powder. It also has a unique outer layer that you make with seasonings, almonds, and Ritz crackers. Its flavor works with any ingredient that you want to use for dipping, whether it be a vegetable, cracker, or chip!

And here’s the recipe for my everything but the bagel cream cheese ball.