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Home » Recipes » Snack Recipes

Apple Cheddar Cheese Ball: Easy Holiday Appetizers

Published: Oct 2, 2017 Last Updated: Apr 23, 2020 by Marye 865 words. | About 5 minutes to read this article.

Easy apple cheddar cheese ball recipe is sumptuously full of fall flavors from tangy apple and maple to sharp cheddar and toasted pecans. Easy holiday appetizers or game day snacks! Serve with butter crackers, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or whatever you like best.
Total time 10 minutes
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This easy apple cheddar cheese ball recipe is sumptuously full of fall flavors from tangy apple and maple to sharp cheddar and toasted pecans. Two types of apples are diced with the peels on to give the cheese ball color and texture. The sharp cheddar cheese paired with sweet apples is a classic flavor combination that is perfect as part of a tray of easy holiday appetizers or served with your favorite crackers on game day.

If you happen to be looking for something for brunch this apple bread recipe is quick AND delicious!

For this recipe you'll need: Honeycrisp apple, Granny Smith apple, cream cheese, sharp Cheddar, maple syrup, pecans

Easy apple cheddar cheese ball appetizer has a cracker spread with the cheese next to it. Title image.

Cheddar cheese ball recipes are a dime a dozen. They are most often savory and sometimes even spicy. I decided to go a little different direction with this tangy-sweet apple and cheddar cheese ball, sweetened with maple syrup, and covered in toasted pecans. Serve this with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, butter crackers -- just about any type of cracker or bread that isn't highly flavored with savory herbs like garlic.

You can dice the apple in large or small dice - I just don't recommend grating or shredding. When I was refining the recipe I thought it would be quick and easy to just pop everything in my food processor. HA! It turns into a very soft dip -- really yummy but not what I wanted.

Toasting the pecans gives them more flavor and a crunchier texture. You don't have to do it but I really like the difference it makes.

Once I had gotten  my pictures of this apple and cheddar cheese ball I put it on the table with some vanilla wafers and butter crackers. When the kids got home from school it was like piranhas. Within minutes it was basically gone.

Close up of apple cheddar cheese ball with chopped pecans pressed into it to cover. Sliced apples to the side.

Tips for Creating and Serving a Cheddar Cheese Ball

While cheese balls are some of the most popular easy holiday appetizers ever there are a few tips and tricks to keep the task even easier! Cheese balls go together in 5 minutes or so and you can make them a couple of days ahead of time. It just doesn't get easier without a caterer!

  • If you have a little more time you can make mini cheese ball truffles. Be sure to cut the apple quite small if you decide to do this. Also, it's a good idea to put the small, individual cheeseballs on toothpicks for ease of serving.
  • Refrigerate the cheese mixture overnight before shaping into a ball. Not only does it make it easier to work with the cheese and shape it properly but the flavors meld together and it will taste better.
  • Toasted nuts really do make a difference! To toast nuts in the oven, spread them in single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 min. or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Use full fat cream cheese. Trust me on this - it just works better.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature before trying to mix the ingredients.
  • Don't roll the cheeseball in the nuts until just before serving - they'll get soggy.
  • Leave the peels on the apples for color.

Apple cheddar cheeseball covered in pecans with a wedge cut out of it. Crackers and sliced apples are near by.

[clickToTweet tweet="Easy holiday appetizers,or game day snacks, like this apple cheddar cheese ball keep entertaining fun" quote="Easy holiday appetizers,or game day snacks, like this apple cheddar cheese ball keep entertaining fun"]

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This cheeseboard allows you to write on it with chalk, holds spreaders and knives, and it pretty cool! Just click on the picture to see all the information.


Apple Cheddar Cheese Ball Recipe

Apple cheddar cheeseball with a closeup of cheese mixture spread on a cracker.

Cheese balls make easy holiday appetizers that can be made up to 3 or 4 days ahead of time. If you like a little more sweetness add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the recipe. If you have some leftover (which is very unlikely!) use it as a spread for bagels OR freeze it for use as a dip.

Like this recipe? Please consider leaving a comment and filling in the star rating in the comments below. 🙂 Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest!

Quick and easy apple cheddar cheese ball recipe is sumptuously full of fall flavors from tangy apple and maple to sharp cheddar and toasted pecans. Easy holiday appetizers! From RestlessChipotle.com
4.60 from 5 votes

Apple Cheddar Cheese Ball

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Easy apple cheddar cheese ball recipe is sumptuously full of fall flavors from tangy apple and maple to sharp cheddar and toasted pecans. Easy holiday appetizers or game day snacks! Serve with butter crackers, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or whatever you like best.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings:24 servings
Calories:99
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Honeycrisp apple, ,peel left on - diced
  • ½ cup Granny Smith apple, ,peel left on - diced
  • 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar, , shredded
  • 1-½ teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1-½ cups pecans, , toasted and chopped

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Dice the apples.
  • Blend the cream cheese and maple syrup until well mixed.
  • Stir in the cheese and the diced apple.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Next day shape the cheese mixture into a ball.
  • Gently press the chopped nuts  into the cheese ball.
  • Refrigerate until serving time.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 40mg | Vitamin A: 300IU | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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    Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

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