This easy Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball uses just five ingredients—cream cheese, dried cranberries, green onions, white cheddar, and pecans—to create a festive, crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Cheeseballs are a top holiday appetizer because they’re simple, make-ahead friendly, visually festive, and deliciously addictive. The creamy base, chewy cranberries, crunchy pecans, and sharp cheddar and green onion flavors combine into a pleasing balance of texture and taste.
Ingredients
This recipe highlights sweet and savory notes with minimal effort. The filling combines cream cheese, green onions, chopped dried cranberries, and shredded white cheddar. The outside is coated with chopped pecans plus additional cranberries and green onions for a festive look and extra texture.
I brought this to a Friendsgiving and received several compliments on both appearance and flavor—easy to assemble and always a hit.
How to Make a Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball
Ready in about 10 minutes, this cheeseball can be served the same day or made ahead—the flavors deepen with chilling.
- Mix: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cold cream cheese with chopped dried cranberries and sliced green onions. Add shredded white cheddar and mix until evenly combined.
- Shape: Scrape the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to form the mixture into a ball or a log, twisting the plastic to compact and shape it.
- Coat: Spread the chopped pecans, extra chopped cranberries, and sliced green onions on a plate. Roll the shaped cheeseball in the coating until it’s evenly covered. Serve with crackers immediately, or refrigerate several hours to overnight for a firmer texture and more integrated flavor. Store in the refrigerator.
Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer, let the cream cheese soften enough to mix by hand. Once mixed, chill briefly so the mixture firms up before shaping.
Alternatives
There are simple swaps you can make depending on what you have on hand:
- Parsley: Chopped parsley can replace green onions in the coating for a different look, though green onions give a brighter onion flavor and are handy if you already have extras.
- Chives: Use chives instead of green onions for a milder onion note.
- Walnuts: Swap pecans for chopped walnuts—toast the nuts first for more depth.
- Goat cheese: Substitute goat cheese for cream cheese for tang; add a splash of milk if needed to reach a creamier consistency before shaping.
Cheese Ball vs Cheese Log
The recipe yields a generous amount and can be formed into one large cheese ball, two smaller ones, or a log. We usually shape it into a log for easy slicing and grazing. It’s great for snacking on with crackers throughout the day and is a favorite for holidays like New Year’s Eve.
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 oz brick cream cheese, cold (two 8 oz packages)
- 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced (about 3–4)
- 4 oz shredded white cheddar (approx. 1 cup)
Coating:
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/3 cup green onions, sliced (or chopped parsley)
Equipment
- Stand mixer (or bowl and spatula if mixing by hand)
- Plastic wrap
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the chopped dried cranberries and sliced green onions. Add shredded white cheddar and mix until incorporated. If mixing by hand, soften the cream cheese first and chill briefly before shaping.
- Scrape the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and use the wrap to shape it into a ball or log, twisting to compact.
- Spread the coating ingredients on a plate and roll the cheeseball until evenly coated. Serve with crackers or refrigerate several hours to overnight for firmer texture and deeper flavor. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Chopping the cranberries helps distribute flavor and texture more evenly—highly recommended.
- Toast the nuts before chopping to intensify their flavor; allow them to cool before using.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates.
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*Originally published 11/19/2017. Post updated with new photos and information November 2023.