Description

These mini pumpkin cheese balls are a fun and savory fall appetizer made with cream cheese, shredded cheese, fresh herbs, and colorful coatings. Finished with pretzel stems, they're perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and fall parties.

Yield

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

Cheese Ball Mixture

400 g cream cheese, softened
200 g shredded cheddar or Gouda cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions and fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickles or sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Coatings

40–50 g cheese-flavored chips, finely crushed
2–3 tablespoons sweet paprika
3–4 tablespoons black sesame seeds

For Decorating

12–14 pretzel sticks, broken into small pieces for stems
Fresh parsley, cilantro, or microgreens, for leaves

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Cheese Mixture

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, green onions, dill, garlic powder, pickles or sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly combined and smooth.

2. Chill

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cheese mixture for 20–30 minutes, or until firm enough to shape easily.

3. Shape

Divide the chilled mixture into 12–14 equal portions. Roll each portion gently between your hands to form a smooth ball.

4. Coat

Roll some of the cheese balls in the crushed cheese-flavored chips, some in the sweet paprika, and the remaining balls in the black sesame seeds until evenly coated.

5. Create the Pumpkin Shape

Using kitchen twine or the dull side of a butter knife, gently press shallow vertical grooves around each cheese ball to create a mini pumpkin shape.

6. Decorate

Insert a small piece of pretzel stick into the center of each cheese ball for the stem. Add a small parsley or cilantro leaf, or a few microgreens, beside the stem.

7. Serve

Serve chilled with crackers, toasted baguette slices, or crostini.

Notes

Keep the mixture cold: If it becomes too soft or sticky while shaping, refrigerate it for another 10–20 minutes.
Drain the pickles or sun-dried tomatoes well to avoid adding excess moisture to the cheese mixture.
For the crunchiest orange coating, roll the cheese balls in the crushed cheese-flavored chips shortly before serving. The crumbs will soften as they absorb moisture from the cheese. PumpkinCheeseBallAppetizer
For a Halloween platter, use all three coating colors. For Thanksgiving, emphasize the orange and paprika-red pumpkins.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Bake
Cuisine: American