Orange Cranberry Cheese Ball

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.

A sweet cheese ball is perfect for any holiday meal or party. The kids are especially going to love the flavor combination of orange, cranberry and white chocolate. Be sure and check out these other sweet appetizers, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip and S’mores Dip.

Christmas Cheese Ball

I think the cheeseball is a misunderstood and often overlooked holiday treat.  Typically a savory treat, it is often part of a relish tray or a cheeseboard.   I love a good cheeseball!

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.  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.

How to Make a Dessert Cheese Ball

• Be sure your cream cheese is softened, let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour.
• Use a hand or stand mixer to cream your softened cream cheese and sugar, you don’t want any lumps! Mix in your other ingredients, including the orange zest, orange juice, white chocolate and part of the craisinets.  Place the mixture into the fridge for a quick 20 minute chill.  This will make it easier to shape into a ball.
• Put the chilled cheese mixture onto some plastic wrap and form it into a ball.  Chill for 1-2 hours.
• The 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 craisins and sugared pecans, pressing them into the cheeseball.
• To learn how to sugar the pecans follow my tutorial here.

What to Serve with a Orange Cranberry Cheese Ball

• Crackers
• Apple Slices – to keep your apple slices from turning brown, submerge them in a bowl of cold water with salt in it.  Just cover them with the water and then take them out and pat dry.  It’s like magic, they don’t turn brown!
• Pretzels
• Vanilla Wafers
• Graham Crackers

Now sit back, and watch your guests faces as they take their first bite of this delicious Christmas cheese ball.  If you prefer a savory cheese ball, be sure and check out my recipe for the BEST cheese ball ever!

Some other sweet appetizer treats:

• Apple Toffee Dip
• Peanut Butter Dip
• Fall Snack Board

For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store. 

Did you know I wrote a cookbook?  Check out the Holiday Slow Cooker Cookbook for 100 delicious recipes

Orange Cranberry Cheese Ball Recipe

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Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball

You usually think of a cheese ball as a savory appetizer but this Christmas Cheeseball can be dessert! This cranberry orange cheeseball has all the holiday flavors including chunks of white chocolate and sugary pecans.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry orange cheese ball

Prep Time 10 minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Servings 10 people

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

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

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

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