A famous recipe given to me by my father-in-law, this really is the best cheeseball recipe out there. Flavorful, delicious, and SO easy!

I couldn’t resist posting a recipe for the best cheeseball recipe just in case you need a last minute appetizer for your slammin’ New Year’s Eve party.

You know, like my party: husband and four kids eating cheeseballs and playing Hi, Ho Cherrie-O and everyone (including mommy) tucked into bed at 8:30 p.m.

Bet you wish you could be here!

Large cheeseball with pecan crusted outside on a plate with crackers around it.

I love me a good cheeseball.

In fact, I would bypass almost anything else on an appetizer spread and go straight for the cheeseball.

I also happen to enjoy a large cheeseball to cracker ratio, just in case you wanted to know (you can tell a lot about a person through details like this).

I’ve been perfecting this cheeseball recipe for years. Go ahead, laugh.

Piece of cheeseball on a knife above a stack of crackers.

I know you’ll think it’s silly that I’ve been perfecting a cheeseball recipe of all things, but maybe now you’ll understand how important cheeseballs are in my life.

Packed with cheese (kind of a no-brainer, eh?) and simple, delicious flavors, this cheeseball is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Or you can hide yourself in your closet pantry and eat it all by yourself…although I wouldn’t dream of doing that.

Pecan crusted cheeseball surrounded by crackers.

FAQs for The Best Cheeseball

Can you make mini cheeseballs with this recipe?

Yes, it works great!

What can I use in replace of pecans if we have a tree nut allergy?

You could try anything crunchy on the outside, for example sunflower seeds or crackers.

How do you package these for gifts?

I wrap each cheeseball in plastic wrap and then pop them in a small gift bag (usually plain white or kraft paper brown) with a sleeve of ritz crackers and tie the handles of the bag with a piece of twine.

How long does the cheeseball keep in the fridge?

I’ve kept them in the fridge for up to 10 days before and they work out great (as long as your ingredients are fresh).

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The Best Cheeseball

4.52 stars (190 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 4 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper, I use coarsely ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, optional
  • 1 cup pecans, finely chopped for rolling

Instructions 

  • Place finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Lightly sprinkle all the seasonings and sauces over the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
  • With lightly greased hands, portion the cheese mixture into four pieces (or two, if you want larger cheeseballs) and roll each section into a round ball. Coat in pecans. One easy way to do this is to hold the cheeseball in one hand and scoop up the pecans and press them onto the cheeseball with the other, turning the cheeseball as you go and letting the excess pecans fall back into the dish (this also helps the pecans to go a little further).
  • Cover each cheeseball in saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Sauce: sometimes instead of the hot sauce, I throw in some sweet Thai chili sauce; it’s amazing.
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Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally published Dec 2009; updated Dec 2017 with new photos/commentary/recipe notes

cheeseball and crackers on a white plate