Cheese Ball
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A gourmet twist on the classic party cheese ball, this creamy mix of goat cheese, scallions, chopped dates, and roasted pecans is always a crowd favorite—especially on a charcuterie board or appetizer spread.
This cheese ball recipe, adapted from chef Vivian Howard’s cookbook Deep Run Roots, takes the retro classic to a whole new level. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it’s the best cheese ball recipe out there. Howard calls it a “party magnet,” and she’s right—it’s the kind of appetizer everyone gathers around. A little fancier than the usual Cheddar version, it’s made with a blend of goat cheese and cream cheese, and flavored with scallions, chopped dates, and buttery roasted pecans.
I suggest doubling the recipe—cheese balls freeze beautifully, and you’ll be so glad to have an extra stashed away. Come impromptu guests, a cocktail party, or the holidays, you’ll be ready!
“I’ve made the cheeseball twice and it’s definitely been a party magnet! No one can believe it’s homemade and that it’s just so darn delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make A Cheese Ball
- Goat Cheese, Cream Cheese & Butter: Forms the rich, tangy and creamy base of the cheese ball.
- Hot Sauce: Adds a subtle kick to balance the richness of the cheese.
- Dates: Lend a sweet, chewy contrast.
- Scallions: Provides a fresh, oniony flavor that cuts through the richness.
- Salt-And-Butter-Roasted Pecans: Add a crunchy, savory coating with a buttery finish (see recipe below).
- Flat-Leaf Parsley: Adds freshness and a pop of color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the creamy base. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle or beaters, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, hot sauce, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined.
Step 2: Add the mix-ins. Mix the dates and scallions into the base until evenly blended, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm it up.
Step 3: Form the cheese ball. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your counter and scrape the chilled cheese mixture into the center. Gather up the corners of the plastic with one hand and use your other hand to twist and shape the cheese into a rough ball. Don’t stress if it feels a little soft—it will firm up as it chills. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until it’s firm enough to handle.
Step 4: Coat the cheeseball. On a plate, combine the chopped pecans and parsley. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in the mixture until fully coated.
Step 5: Chill and serve. Refrigerate the cheese ball until ready to serve. Let it sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving so that it has a spreadable texture.
More Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers You May Like
Cheese Ball
Ingredients
For the Cheese Ball
- 4 oz (½ cup) goat cheese (or 2 oz each goat cheese and blue cheese), at room temperature
- 3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chopped dates (see note)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions, white and green parts, from 2 to 3 scallions
- ⅓ cup salt-and-butter roasted pecans, chopped (see recipe below) or store-bought salted pecans
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
For the Salt-and-Butter-Roasted Pecans
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Cheese Ball
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the beaters or paddle attachment, combine the goat cheese (and blue cheese, if using), cream cheese, butter, hot sauce, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until evenly combined. Add the dates and scallions and mix on low speed until evenly blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface, remove the cheese mixture from the fridge, and scrape the mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap. Holding the four corners of the plastic in one hand, twist the cheese with your other hand to seal the plastic and shape the cheese into a rough ball. Don't worry if the cheese is soft. It will firm up in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the cheese ball is firm enough to handle.
- Combine the chopped pecans and parsley on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in the nut mixture until evenly coated. Chill until ready to serve. Let the cheeseball sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving so that it has a spreadable texture. Serve with crackers.
For the Salt-and-Butter Roasted Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- In a medium bowl, toss the pecans with the melted butter and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Spread the pecans out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the pecans are slightly darkened and fragrant. While still hot, sprinkle the pecans with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Let cool for 10 minutes. The nuts will keep for 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not use pre-chopped dates from a bag, as they are sweetened. I use whole pitted Medjool dates; you'll need 4 to 6 dates to get ⅓ cup chopped.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The cheese ball can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month (if freezing, wait until you thaw the cheese ball to roll it in the nuts). To freeze, wrap the cheese ball well in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn! Excited to try this – I don’t like dates and was wondering if there was a substitution or if it could be left out entirely? Thanks!
You could replace the dates with chopped apricots or omit them. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, thank you for your amazing recipes.
I don’t usually look for substitutions, but wondering what other cheese I can use as I do not enjoy goat cheese or blue cheese.
Thank you.
Hi Suzanne, Glad you like the recipes! You can replace the goat cheese with cream cheese and the blue cheese with shredded sharp Cheddar or Gruyere. It will have a different flavor, but will still be great – I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I made this recently for a neighborhood girl’s night. Now this crew doesn’t usually eat a lot – I typically put out a nice spread, but it largely goes ignored as we get engrossed in conversation (and wine!) but this cheeseball changed all that! People were going back for seconds and thirds. Perfect nosh!
Absolutely delicious! It looked beautiful and everyone loved it, even my 81 year old dad who doesn’t like goat cheese! Only issue…it is hard to stop eating, you are right about that! Thanks again for another wonderful recipe.
Will the texture be fine if I make mini cheese balls? Thanks, these sound delicious
Sure, Chris – that will work.
This was just amazing. I used your sweet and spicy pecans for the outside since I had just made 4 batches. (Everyone loves them). I loathe goat cheese so substituted 2oz cream cheese and 2oz blue cheese as you suggested and it was a hit!!! The combination of the savory and sweet was just so good. Thanks for another hit!
Hi Jenn, your salt and butter pecans recipe calls for 2 cups pecans, but this recipe only calls for 1/3 cup. I have a lot of leftover salty pecans. What would you recommend for these? Also, it it possible to turn these into sweetened pecans (as per your other recipe) once already baked?
Hi Colleen, I like them just for snacking or adding to salads, but you can definitely use them to make the candied pecans – just omit the salt.
I went with the original version with only a tablespoon of butter and it’s delicious! Easy to adjust to your tastes. My mom really liked it Jenn!
I made this for a party and it was a huge hit! There was leftover pecans and parsley mixture. How long will this last in the frig?
Glad it was a hit! I would guess the nut parsley mixture would last for 4 to 5 days.
Absolutely fabulous!! Guests kept coming back for more!