Holiday Cheese Balls with Crackers

Growing up, I remember always helping my Mother make cheese balls for friends & family. I would grate the cheese, my Mom would mix and make the balls, then I would roll them around in the red powder. Now I have my own family, I decided I would carry on the tradition.

In December 2023, I decided I would try adding dried Green Chili and Rosemary to the inside of the cheeseball. I loved the change! 

Makes about 20 medium size cheese balls
Ingredients

7 c. Mozzarella Cheese

7 c. Mild Cheddar Cheese

7 c. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

*Cheese amounts are not measured by a measuring cup, but rather by the fist full - where a fist full is close to the amount I 'think' a cup is.

6 boxes of Cream Cheese

4 c. Pecans - chopped small

3 tbsp dry Minced Onions

3 tsp Garlic Salt

2 tbsp Dried Chives (optional-decorative)

1/2 tsp ground rosemary

3 tbsp green chili powder (purchased from Hatch, NM)

Chili Powder

Smoked Paprika

Chipotle Powder (optional for heat)

Fresh grated cheese will always be better. Your cheese balls will not end up as 'dry'. Packaged pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent in it, usually potato starch, that dries the cheese out a bit to keep it from clumping. 

If you have a super large bowl, use one bowl. If not, use two large bowl, equally divide up the cheese, pecans, onion, garlic salt, & chives.

Mix ingredients by squeezing all together. 

Grab a hand full of cheese mixture, form into a fist size ball & place on parchment paper. I usually make a few balls larger than others, because some of my friends have large families while others just have one or two in their family.

On a large, flat plate, pour equal amounts of chili powder and smoked paprika and mix with a fork. IF you want a little heat, add in some Chipotle Powder.

Roll cheese balls in red powder mix until the ball is fully coated. Dust off excess powder with a couple pats.

Individually wrap each cheese ball and store in the fridge until ready to deliver.  I wrap the ball separate because some people might want to put the cheese ball in the fridge and save it for later, but not put the crackers in the fridge.

A Note of Caution: do not pour leftover chili powder back into your spice jar. 

Place cheese ball on a decorated paper plate, with crackers & wrap the whole plate with plastic wrap.  

I usually garnish with a bow & tags I have printed.  In the past I used sticky labels as my tag, but this year, I laminated my printouts so that they may keep the web address to the directions & ingredients that I printed on the labels.

This year, I used a different assortment of crackers. I am partial to Ritz, so I used Original, Garlic Butter & Whole Wheat flavors. I also like Wheat Thins, so I used Original &Tomato Basil flavors. Triscuit crackers are good too!

In the past when I would make the cheese balls with my Mom, she would use Ritz, Town & Club crackers. Of course that was way before they have ever made flavored crackers.

Next year, I am going to try using Pepper Jack Cheese... mmmm....

Over the years, I have tried several alterations. Bacon being a fun one, but it never delivered the punch of BACON flavor I was hoping for. 

One alternative I had high hopes for, but it did not work as I had hoped, was the addition of flame roasted green chili. The green chili was too moist, too juicy, it made a 'soggy' cheese ball. 

I was able to successfully half the recipe.