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You usually think of a cheese ball as a savory appetizer but this Christmas Cheeseball can be dessert! This cranberry orange cheese ball has all the holiday flavors including chunks of white chocolate and sugary pecans.
Watch your guests delightful surprise when they bite into this cheeseball and discover that it’s sweet! Serve it as an appetizer or as dessert.Â
This dessert cheeseball starts with a base of cream cheese and powdered sugar with some orange zest, orange juice, chopped craisins, white chocolate and pecans added in. It is easy to make and perfect for any holiday party. Your guests will love it.
Ingredients Needed
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Orange, juice and zest
- Dried Cranberries
- Candied Pecans
- White Chocolate
How to Make Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball
- Cream softened cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until smooth,
- Add in orange zest, orange juice, white chocolate and dried cranberries and mix well.
- Place the mixture into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Wrap chilled cheese mixture in plastic wrap and form into a ball.Â
- Place wrapped cheeseball in refrigerator to chill for 1-2 hours.
- Mix together candied pecans and dried raisins.
- Roll cheeseball in mixture right before serving, pressing gently.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Be sure your cream cheese is softened, let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour.
- Make sure to mix everything well with a stand mixer, you want it to be evenly distributed and no lumps!
- I have a great recipe for candied pecans if you want to make your own.
- This cheeseball can be made a day ahead. Keep it wrapped in plastic and in the refrigerator and then before serving, roll the ball into the mixture of chopped dried cranberries and candied pecans.
Serve this with:
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Apple Slices, submerge slices in cold salt water and pat dry to prevent them from browning.
- Vanilla Wafers
- Graham Crackers
Check out more of my favorite sweet appetizers:
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Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 Tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup Craisins chopped
- 1/2 cup sugared pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup Craisins
- 2 oz. white chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Mix together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Mix in orange juice, zest and 1/2 cup Craisins until well blended.
- Chill mixture in bowl for 30 minutes in refrigerator
- Place mixture onto plastic wrap and form into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours.
- Mix together sugared pecans and 1/4 cup Craisins and roll cheeseball in it before serving.
- Serve with crackers, apples or pretzels
Nutrition Facts:
Logan R McKenna says
There is no white chocolate in the actual recipe . . . ??? How much do we add? Thanks!
Leigh Anne says
Sorry about that – I used 2 oz. of white chocolate chopped. I updated the recipe.
Leigh Anne says
Sorry about that – 2 oz. The recipe has been updated.