Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls are a delicious light bite to serve during Thanksgiving or Halloween. Put each bite sized ball onto a tortilla chip or a cracker then on a platter with pea shoots acting as a pumpkin patch and serve!
Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls
These mini pumpkin cheese balls are a spin on the Mini Chili Cheese Balls I’ve been making for almost thirty years!.
While you might be able to stuff an entire one in your mouth, they are the best little two bite cheese balls you will ever taste! We serve these crowd pleasers with an accompanying cracker or chip.
When would you serve them
I tend to serve cheese balls around the holidays. They used to be super popular back in the 80’s and our family always had one whole ball out as an appetizer when friends would come for dinner. The smaller versions are the best bite without having to break up the big ball for a piece.
We put them out as an appetizer before a holiday meal or during a potluck or dinner with friends and family. Let’s just say the only time I wouldn’t serve cheese balls is in really super hot weather as they don’t hold up well in the heat. Another great use – on a Christmas Tree charcuterie board!
PRO TIPS
- Rolling the balls is a messy job and the mixture warms up in your hands a little. Refrigerate the cheese mix first to help them hold their shape.
- Stem alternative: green pepper or celery pieces.
- While you can add different cheese to the mix, the majority should be an orange cheddar for the orange pumpkin look.
Cheese Ball Flavours
In this recipe we use a few spices to pump up the flavour. But really anything goes.
For spices try: garlic or onion powder, taco seasoning, chili powder, paprika, curry or garam masala, aleppo pepper or za’atar.
Mix in with the cheese: thinly sliced green onion, pickles, olives, pimentos or roasted peppers chopped fine.
Roll em: in fresh herbs, chopped nuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, all kinds of spices, cooked bacon, pomegranate seeds, even crushed chips and pretzels!
Think of a cheese ball as a palate you get to play with.
More holiday appetizer ideas:
- Swamp Dip (Halloween)
- Mini Salad in Toast Cups (Thanksgiving)
- Witches Hat (Halloween)
- Fall Canapes (Thanksgiving)
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!
Ingredients
- 1 250 g block cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cup old cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup gouda cheese, grated
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 2 tsp old bay seasoning
- pinch black pepper and salt
Garnishes
- pretzel sticks, cut into small pieces for stem
- 2 scallions, green parts only or chives
- pea shoots, for garnishing the bottom
- 16 round tortilla chips
Instructions
Green Onion Curls
- Cut the green part off the green onion. Save white part for another day. Cut green ends into 1 inch pieces. Slice long thin strips lengthwise. Put all strips into a bowl of ice water and let sit so the onion can curl. Dry before using.
Cheese Balls
- Mix together cream cheese through salt.
- You can let the mixture sit covered in the refrigerator and roll just before serving. Or roll and form into pumpkin balls leaving in fridge until ready to serve.
- Take a piece of the mixture in your hands and roll into a cherry tomato sized ball or slightly smaller. They roll easier when they've been slightly chilled in the fridge.
- Using the opposite end of a spoon or wood spreader/butter knife draw a line from the top of the ball to the bottom as you would see on a real pumpkin. Continue drawing lines until the entire ball is covered.
- Drain onion curls on paper towel. Break off small pieces of pretzels. Take a piece of curl and a piece of pretzel and push into top of pumpkin. If making in advance put into covered container and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve put each pumpkin on a tortilla chip. Scatter pea shoots on a serving dish and place pumpkin balls on platter.
Nutrition
These are adorable and delicious! Love how creative they are to look like they are in a pumpkin patch!
The entire platter looks fabulous! I know they will be a big hit at our Holiday party!
What a super cute and fun idea. What a perfect Thanksgiving Day appetizer. My family is going to love them!
These are adorable and the perfect holiday appetizer!
I love how cute and festive these look! This will be perfect for our Thanksgiving meal. Saving for later!