When it comes to stunning
Christmas apps that come together in no time, you can’t get much better than the humble cheese ball. They’re a retro idea that we’ve really run with here at Delish, taking them fully into modern times with creative ingredients and decorating methods. This one is our winter holiday masterpiece, filled with three different types of cheese and studded with gorgeous pomegranate seeds. It looks classy as all get out, but is also crazy easy to make. Read on for our top tips for making this Christmas appetizer the best it can be.
The pomegranate seeds:
The trickiest thing about making this is, of course, the pomegranate. You could go with store-bought seeds (or “arils”), but we’ve found that those can tend to be more watery and less fresh-tasting than those you seed yourself. When picking out your pomegranate, go for one that feels heavier than it should. They can be intimidating, but not to worry—our guide for how to cut a pomegranate will show you the way. End up with more seeds than your cheese ball needs? Use them as garnish for our pomegranate Moscow mules or our pomegranate mimosas.
How to make the best cheese ball:
Now on to the best part, the cheese-y inside! Make sure both your cream cheese and your goat cheese are at room temperature to guarantee they mix together easily, but beyond that, you can feel free to get a little creative with your ingredients. Toasty walnuts, rosemary, Boursin cheese, or white cheddar would all be welcome too. You could even try swapping the pomegranate seeds for dried cranberries to switch things up.
Storage:
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 5 days. We recommend keeping the pomegranate seeds separate from any cheese ball leftovers.
If you do change up the ingredients (or try this recipe as it is), let us know how it went in the comments below!
When it comes to stunning
Christmas apps that come together in no time, you can’t get much better than the humble cheese ball. They’re a retro idea that we’ve really run with here at Delish, taking them fully into modern times with creative ingredients and decorating methods. This one is our winter holiday masterpiece, filled with three different types of cheese and studded with gorgeous pomegranate seeds. It looks classy as all get out, but is also crazy easy to make. Read on for our top tips for making this Christmas appetizer the best it can be.
The pomegranate seeds:
The trickiest thing about making this is, of course, the pomegranate. You could go with store-bought seeds (or “arils”), but we’ve found that those can tend to be more watery and less fresh-tasting than those you seed yourself. When picking out your pomegranate, go for one that feels heavier than it should. They can be intimidating, but not to worry—our guide for how to cut a pomegranate will show you the way. End up with more seeds than your cheese ball needs? Use them as garnish for our pomegranate Moscow mules or our pomegranate mimosas.
How to make the best cheese ball:
Now on to the best part, the cheese-y inside! Make sure both your cream cheese and your goat cheese are at room temperature to guarantee they mix together easily, but beyond that, you can feel free to get a little creative with your ingredients. Toasty walnuts, rosemary, Boursin cheese, or white cheddar would all be welcome too. You could even try swapping the pomegranate seeds for dried cranberries to switch things up.
Storage:
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 5 days. We recommend keeping the pomegranate seeds separate from any cheese ball leftovers.
If you do change up the ingredients (or try this recipe as it is), let us know how it went in the comments below!
- Yields:
-
8
serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 5 mins
- Total Time:
- 25 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 303
Directions
-
- Step 1
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, goat cheese, and gruyere. Fold in almonds, parsley, and thyme until well combined, then season with salt and pepper. Form mixture into one large ball.
- Step 2Place pomegranate arils on a large plate, then roll cheese ball gently until fully coated, filling in any cracks by hand.
- Step 3Refrigerate until cold and sturdy, about 20 minutes, then serve with crackers.
- Step 1
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
