Description
Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls are a delightful appetizer perfect for fall gatherings or holiday parties. These bite-sized cheese balls combine creamy cream cheese and sharp cheddar with roasted red peppers and green onions, seasoned with garlic powder and cayenne pepper for a subtle kick. Rolled in flavorful coatings like crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds, they are decorated to resemble tiny pumpkins with pretzel stick stems and fresh parsley, making them as visually appealing as they are tasty.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Coatings
- Crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos
- Paprika
- Black sesame seeds
Garnish
- 20 pretzel sticks
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Assorted crackers for serving
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add softened cream cheese, grated cheddar cheese, finely chopped roasted red peppers, chopped green onions, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill Mixture: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cheese mixture for about an hour to firm it up, making it easier to shape into balls.
- Prepare Coatings: On separate small plates, spread out your chosen coatings—crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds. Use a tablespoon measuring scoop to portion the cheese mixture and roll each portion into a ball. Place each ball on a plate until all mixture is formed.
- Coat Cheese Balls: Roll each cheese ball in one of the prepared coatings evenly, then set aside on a serving plate.
- Create Pumpkin Appearance: Use a wooden skewer to make vertical marks around the sides and horizontal marks across the top surface of each cheese ball to mimic the ridges of a pumpkin.
- Add Stems and Garnish: Insert half a pretzel stick into the top center of each ball to serve as the pumpkin stem. Garnish each with a small fresh parsley leaf for the appearance of a pumpkin leaf.
- Refrigerate and Serve: Place the finished mini pumpkin cheese balls in the refrigerator until ready to serve, accompanied by assorted crackers.
Notes
- You can use as many or as few coatings as desired; the variety adds texture and visual interest.
- Crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos is preferred if using only one coating as it gives great flavor and a vibrant pumpkin color.
- To crush Doritos, place them in a sealed plastic bag and smash gently with a rolling pin until fine crumbs form.
- Refrigeration time can be extended to ensure the cheese balls are firm and hold their shape better.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cheese ball
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
