Description
This easy Easter cheese ball starts off with a delicious spring-inspired cheese ball mixture that gets shaped into the cutest baby chick. It’s a fun appetizer that’s perfect for Easter or any spring gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cheese ball mixture:
- 2 bricks/blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (16 oz/500g)
- 1 cup finely shredded cheddar
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup finely diced shallots
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the baby chick details:
- 1 ½ cups finely grated cheddar
- 2 pecan halves
- 1 mini orange or yellow pepper
- 1 black olive
- 1 baby carrot
- 1 small sprig of fresh dill
Instructions
- Make the cheese ball mixture: In a large bowl, beat together all the cheese ball mixture ingredients until well combined. Or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (so quick and easy!).
- Shape into a ball: Slightly wet your hands and roll the mixture into a ball (or use a piece of plastic wrap to shape it without getting your hands messy). Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Coat in cheddar: Pour 1 ½ cups of finely shredded cheddar into a shallow bowl or plate. Unwrap the chilled cheese ball and roll it in the cheese, pressing gently with your hands so it sticks and creates those fluffy “feathers”.
- Add the remaining details: Now for the fun part! Place the cheddar coated cheese ball on a serving platter and transform it into a baby chick.
- Feet: Tuck 2 pecan halves slightly under the bottom of the cheese ball.
- Wings: Slice the top off a mini orange or yellow pepper, cut it in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and insert each half into the side of the cheese ball to make wings.
- Eyes: Cut two small circles out of a black olive and press onto the cheese ball. I like to slice off the sides of the olive to create flat pieces and then use a wide stainless steel straw to punch out circles.
- Beak: Slice out a small “V” shape from the end of half a baby carrot so it looks like a beak. Push it into the cheese ball just below the eyes.
- Head Feathers: Add a small sprig of fresh dill on top of the cheese ball for a cute little tuft of feathers.
- Serve: Serve with crackers, crostini, pretzels or raw veggies like sliced cucumbers, mini peppers, celery and carrot sticks. You could even make a “nest” of crackers and pretzel sticks in a circle around the baby chick cheese ball for some extra fun.
Notes
- Use finely shredded cheese: The fine shreds stick better and create that fluffy baby chick feather look on the outside of the cheese ball. The small holes on a box grater work perfectly.
- Can this cheese ball be made ahead of time? Yes! You can make the cheese ball mixture up to 3 days in advance. Just shape it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. You can also prep the baby chick details (feathers, eyes, beak, etc.) ahead of time and keep in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, simply assemble the chick and you’re good to go.
