This pumpkin cheese ball is a classic make-ahead appetizer for the holidays. You can use your favorite cheese, e.g. smoked or flavored cheese and cream cheese are good options.
Ingredients
- (8-ounce) packages cream cheese: 2 piece (softened)
- bottled hot pepper sauce: 1 Tbsp
- paprika: 1 tsp
- garlic: 0.5 tsp (minced)
- yellow Cheddar cheese: 2 cups (finely shredded)
- stem from a bell pepper: 1 piece
- crackers: (for serving)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Combine cream cheese, hot pepper sauce, paprika, and garlic in a food processor. Process until well combined. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese and process until cheese is finely chopped but still very visible. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the remaining shredded cheese into a 4-inch pile on a large piece of plastic wrap, and top with a rounded scoop of the cheese ball mixture. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Sprinkle the cheese ball mound with the remaining shredded cheese. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Pull sides of plastic wrap up and over the cheese ball mixture to wrap tightly and shape into a ball. (If needed, wrap with an additional piece of plastic wrap to ensure the mixture is very tightly wrapped.) Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Wrap 4 wide rubber bands around the cheese ball, evenly spacing them to create the indentations that are found on a pumpkin. (Depending on the size of the rubber bands, you may need to double wrap each one to create indentations that are deep enough.) Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Chill cheese ball in the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld and the cream cheese to become firm.
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Before serving, remove rubber bands and unwrap cheese ball. Place a bell pepper stem on top of the pumpkin and gently press to adhere. Serve with crackers. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
