This Grinch Cheese Ball makes a fantastic appetizer for the holidays. Its festive green color and crunchy bacon and cheese taste keep everyone coming back for more.
Dressing up a Cheese Ball for a Christmas party is a great way to bring holiday cheer to your guests. This Grinch Cheese Ball is a fun and festive holiday appetizer that puts a whimsical twist on the traditional cheese ball. It’s easy to make and will always please a crowd at any party. We love to dip tortilla chips and crackers into it or spread it on pretzels.
The good news is that Grinch Cheese Ball is only made with a few ingredients, making it about as close to effortless as a party appetizer can get. It can even be prepared in advance, so you can spend more time with your guests instead of preparing an elaborate meal.
This year, be the hostess with the mostess, and whip up this holiday recipe for your next Christmas party. You won’t regret it for a second!
Recipe Tips
Cheese balls are a great party food. They’re easy to make, simple to eat and everybody loves them. With the holidays just around the corner it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to serve your guests at their various parties. Cheese balls are always a hit and it’s easy to make sure that yours is too by following these tips for making a cheese ball.
- Don’t skip the cheese. The most important part of any cheese ball is the cheese itself so adding cheese is a must. The most common cheese to use is cheddar but you can try mixing different types of cheeses together for an even tastier result!
- Make sure it’s cold. Keep your cheese ball cold until you serve it. You can do this by wrapping it in some plastic wrap once you’ve formed it or simply by putting it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
- Consider adding other ingredients. While most people think that cheese balls only need cheese, there are many different ways that you can personalize them and add some variety to your menu this holiday season. Some popular additions are chopped nuts, olives, and pickles.
- The longer the cheese ball sits in the refrigerator before serving, the firmer it will be.
- Add in fresh herbs, like basil or chives, for beautiful color and an extra boost of flavor.
- Add nuts, seeds and dried fruit for crunch. Try pecans, walnuts, cranberries or dried apricots.
- If you’re using almonds to cover your cheese ball with a layer of nuts, toast them first on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F until they’re golden brown. Watch them closely so they don’t burn!
Recipe Variations
The best part about this recipe is that it’s so versatile: You can swap out the cheese and spice mix-ins for whatever you like—or whatever you have on hand.
- Try using goat cheese instead of cream cheese.
- Use two packages of cream cheese and one package of goat cheese.
- Use lemon pepper or Cajun seasoning for a zesty twist.
- Add 1 cup chopped black olives.
- Try some crumbled blue cheese and chopped green onions.
- Add 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/3 cup chopped pecans.
- Instead of nuts, stir in an equal amount of shredded coconut.
Other Cheese Ball Recipes to Try
Cheese balls are a great appetizer for get-togethers, but they can get boring after a while. If you’re tired of making the same old cheese ball, here’s a list of five different recipes to spice up the fun!
- Classic Cheese Ball – This is the original recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and green onion.
- Bacon and Blue Cheese – Crisp bacon, blue cheese and celery garnish are rolled into a ball of cream cheese for an appetizer everyone will enjoy.
- Pimiento Cheese – A Southern favorite with cream cheese and cheddar blended together with diced pimientos and chopped pecans.
- Jalapeno Popper – Cream cheese and cheddar blended together with diced jalapenos, chopped bacon and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
- Cajun Crawtator – Cream cheese and Colby Jack cheese blended together with green onions, garlic powder and black pepper for a spicy kick.
Cheese Ball Ingredients
Serves 16
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1 cup real bacon crumbles
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
4-5 drops neon green food coloring
2 drops green food coloring
2 green stuffed olives, cut in half
Black Kalamata olives
1 cherry tomato
Red holiday tortilla chips
Fresh mozzarella cheese
How to Make a Grinch Cheese Ball
Prepare the Cheese Ball
In a large bowl add the softened cream cheese and ranch seasoning. Mix together until combined and creamy. Add about 4-5 drops of green food coloring and mix together. Add more to get to the desired color you want. If you want a bit darker, add 1-2 drops of regular green food coloring and mix together.
Add green onions, bacon crumbles and shredded cheese to bowl and mix together until combined.
Chill the Cheese Ball
Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge and chill for 1-2 hours.
Make the Grinch Face
Unwrap the cheese ball and place on your serving platter. Shape into a Grinch face.
Cut Kalamata olives in thin strips lengthwise and add the slices to form the Grinch’s mouth. Cut the green stuffed olives in half add as eyes making sure the red peppers are visible.
Complete the Grinch’s face by adding two thin slices of the black olives for eyebrows and a triangle diced tomato for his nose.
Make the Santa Hat
Place a pile of red tortilla chips at the top of Grinch’s head in the shape of Santa’s hat. Using a knife cut a circle out of the fresh mozzarella and place as a pompom at the end of the Santa hat.
Serve your Grinch cheese ball with additional tortilla chips and crackers.
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover cheese ball in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. When ready to eat take out of fridge and serve with chips and crackers.
Grinch Cheese Ball
This Grinch Cheese Ball makes a fantastic appetizer for the holidays. Its festive green color and crunchy bacon and cheese taste keep everyone coming back for more.
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 packet dry ranch seasoning
- 1/4 cup green onion, diced
- 1 cup real bacon crumbles
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 4-5 drops neon green food coloring
- 2 drops green food coloring
- 2 green stuffed olives, cut in half
- Black Kalamata olives
- 1 cherry tomato
- Red holiday tortilla chips
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prepare the Cheese Ball
- In a large bowl add the softened cream cheese and ranch seasoning. Mix together until combined and creamy. Add about 4-5 drops of green food coloring and mix together. Add more to get to the desired color you want. If you want a bit darker, add 1-2 drops of regular green food coloring and mix together.
- Add green onions, bacon crumbles and shredded cheese to bowl and mix together until combined.
Chill the Cheese Ball
- Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge and chill for 1-2 hours.
Make the Grinch Face
- Unwrap the cheese ball and place on your serving platter. Shape into a Grinch face.
- Cut Kalamata olives in thin strips lengthwise and add the slices to form the Grinch’s mouth. Cut the green stuffed olives in half add as eyes making sure the red peppers are visible.
- Complete the Grinch’s face by adding two thin slices of the black olives for eyebrows and a triangle diced tomato for his nose.
Make the Santa Hat
- Place a pile of red tortilla chips at the top of Grinch’s head in the shape of Santa’s hat. Using a knife cut a circle out of the fresh mozzarella and place as a pompom at the end of the Santa hat.
- Serve your Grinch cheese ball with additional tortilla chips and crackers.
Notes
Recipe Tips
Cheese balls are a great party food. They're easy to make, simple to eat and everybody loves them. With the holidays just around the corner it's time to start thinking about what you're going to serve your guests at their various parties. Cheese balls are always a hit and it's easy to make sure that yours is too by following these tips for making a cheese ball.
- Don't skip the cheese. The most important part of any cheese ball is the cheese itself so adding cheese is a must. The most common cheese to use is cheddar but you can even try mixing a few different types of cheeses together for an even tastier result!
- Make sure it's cold. Keep your cheese ball cold until you serve it. You can do this by wrapping it in some plastic wrap once you've formed it or simply by putting it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it with crackers.
- Consider adding other ingredients. While most people think that cheese balls only need cheese, there are many different ways that you can personalize them and add some variety to your menu this holiday season. Some popular additions are chopped nuts, olives, and pickles.
- Enhance your cheese ball with fruits, spices, herbs and nuts. Try fresh green or red bell peppers for a spicy kick or some candied pecans for a sweet complement to the creamy texture of your cheese.
- The longer the cheese ball sits in the refrigerator before serving, the firmer it will be.
- Add in fresh herbs, like basil or chives, for beautiful color and an extra boost of flavor.
- Add nuts, seeds and dried fruit for crunch. Try pecans, walnuts, cranberries or dried apricots.
- If you're using almonds to cover your cheese ball with a layer of nuts, toast them first on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F until they're golden brown. Watch them closely so they don't burn!
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