Christmas Cranberry Cheese Ball

A festive cheese ball recipe made with goat cheese or cream cheese, white cheddar, pecans and cranberries perfect for Christmas parties or entertaining. Served on a bed of rosemary sprigs, it looks like Christmas on a plate!

8-oz goat cheese or cream cheese, at room temperature
8-oz sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
8-oz goat cheese or cream cheese, at room temperature
8-oz sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 5-oz. bag dried cranberries (about a cup and a half)
Rosemary springs for garnish

• Mix goat cheese or cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. 
• Add cheddar, milk, salt and pecans then continue mixing until well combined.
• Line a small round bowl with plastic wrap then spoon cheese mixture into bowl. 
• Press cheese firmly into bowl. 
• Bring plastic up and over the top of cheese and gather to shape cheese into a ball. 
• Seal ball with more plastic if necessary to completely cover then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 
• It’s ok if it’s kinda wonky at this point. 
• Once it firms up you will be able to easily shape it into a perfect ball.
• When ready to serve, arrange rosemary sprigs on a serving plate; set aside. 
• Pour cranberries into a pie plate and separate any that might have stuck together; set aside.
• Remove cheese ball (in plastic) from the bowl. 
• Keeping cheese ball wrapped in the plastic, use hands to shape into a ball. 
• When the cheese ball is perfectly round, roll in cranberries then set on rosemary sprigs. 
• All of the cranberries won’t stick when you roll the cheese ball in them. 
• Just piece them on until the cheese ball is nicely covered.
• Serve with assorted crackers.

Recipe: South in your Mouth