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This Snowman Cheese Ball is just the cutest little Christmas appetizer or snack! It’s fun, festive and absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining. Plus, underneath that adorable snowman situation is a super tasty homemade cheese ball that disappears fast!
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Pin It3 Reasons To Make This Snowman Cheese Ball
- It’s such a cute Christmas cheese ball idea. I mean…look at it! How adorable is this Snowman Cheese Ball?!
- It’s perfect for holiday gatherings. This fun Christmas appetizer always gets a bunch of “aww!”s and brings all the festive vibes to your table. And if you love cute snowman themed food ideas, you should also check out my Christmas Pasta with Burrata Snowmen and Snowman Bark.
- It tastes absolutely delicious too. This isn’t one of those “cute but meh” recipes. The cheese ball itself is so good! Cream cheese, smoked gouda, crispy bacon, toasted nuts and chives all rolled in finely grated white cheddar – yum!!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cute snowman-shaped Christmas cheese ball:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- For the cheese ball: This delicious cheese ball is made from cream cheese, shredded smoked gouda, crispy bacon bits, chopped toasted pine nuts or pecans, finely chopped fresh chives plus a little garlic and onion powder.
- For the snowman features: To transform your cheese ball into a cute snowman, you’ll need finely grated white cheddar to look like snow, a baby carrot for the nose, a few black olives for the eyes, mouth and buttons, a slice of prosciutto for the scarf and a pretzel rod snapped in half for the arms.
Variations
- Substitutes for the olives: For the snowman’s eyes, mouth and buttons, I used two different sized straws to punch out little circles from black olives. But if olives aren’t your thing, no worries. Whole black peppercorns work too (just pull them off before eating if you don’t love biting into one – this is why I opted for the black olives). Dried cranberries or currants are another option.
- White cheddar substitutions: The cheese balls get rolled in finely grated white cheddar to give that snowy look but you can use any finely grated white cheese you like.
- Try different “arms”: I used a pretzel rod snapped in half for the snowman arms. Some other options include breadsticks (grissini), celery sticks, rosemary sprigs or any type of long thinner cracker.
- Swap the carrot nose: A little triangle cut from an orange bell pepper works too.
- Change up the scarf: I used a strip of prosciutto for the scarf but you can swap it out for roasted red pepper slices, green onion, basil or spinach leaves instead.
- Make it vegetarian: Just leave out the bacon bits in the cheese ball mixture and choose one of the veggie-friendly scarf options above.
How To Make This Snowman Cheese Ball
Here’s how to make a super delicious cheese ball and then transform it into the cutest snowman shaped holiday appetizer.
Step 1: Make the cheese ball mixture
In a large bowl, beat together 2 blocks of softened full-fat cream cheese (16oz/500g), 1 cup shredded smoked gouda, ½ cup crispy bacon bits, ¼ cup chopped toasted pine nuts or pecans, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives plus ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. A stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment makes this extra easy!
Step 2: Divide and shape into balls
Divide the mixture into two parts – about 1/3 for the snowman head and 2/3 for the body. Slightly wet your hands and roll each portion into a ball or use a piece of plastic wrap to shape them without the mess. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
Step 3: Assemble the snowman body
Pour about 1 ½ – 2 cups of finely grated white cheddar into a shallow bowl or plate. Unwrap your chilled cheese balls and roll each one in the cheese, using your hand to press it on so it sticks and looks like a snowball.
Once they’re fully coated, place the larger ball on your serving platter and set the smaller one above to form your snowman shape.
Step 4: Add the snowman details
Time to bring your snowman to life! Use the thin tip of a baby carrot (or cut out a carrot-shaped nose piece) and place on the head. For the eyes, mouth and buttons, cut little circles out of black olives. I sliced off the sides of a few black olives to make flat surfaces and then used two different-sized straws to punch out the circles. Break a pretzel rod in half and stick each piece into the body for arms. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around the neck as a scarf. If you want, sprinkle any extra grated white cheddar around the base for a snowy effect.
Step 5: Serve
Serve with a variety of crackers, crusty bread or veggies like celery sticks, cucumber slices and mini peppers.
HELPFUL TIPS
A Few Tips
- Use full-fat bricks or blocks of cream cheese and make sure it is softened to room temperature so that it combines easily.
- For the bacon bits, I usually cook about 6 slices of bacon until they’re extra crispy, let them cool, then crumble or chop them into little pieces.
- Finely grating the white cheddar makes it look more like snow. The small holes on a box grater work well.
- Stainless steel straws are awesome for punching out the circles from the olives. I use a wide straw for the eyes and buttons and a regular sized one for the tiny circles for the mouth.
FAQ
You can prep the cheese ball mixture up to 3 days in advance. Just shape it into the two balls, wrap them each tightly in plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. The features like the olive circles could also be punched out ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Then all that’s left to do before serving is to roll the balls in white cheddar and put your snowman together.
Pop any leftovers into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Fun Christmas Themed Recipes
I hope you love this Snowman Cheese Ball! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it went – leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram so I can see your cute creations!
Snowman Cheese Ball
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 25 min (plus chill time)
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Snowman Cheese Ball is just the cutest little Christmas appetizer or snack! It’s fun, festive and absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining. Plus, underneath that adorable snowman situation is a super tasty homemade cheese ball that disappears fast!
Ingredients
For the cheese ball mixture:
- 2 bricks/blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (16 oz/500g)
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
- ½ cup crispy bacon bits (about 6 slices, cooked extra crispy then cooled and crumbled or chopped)
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pine nuts or pecans
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the snowman details:
- 1 ½ – 2 cups finely grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 small or baby carrot
- 3–4 black olives
- 1 pretzel rod
- 1 slice prosciutto
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!).
- Divide and shape into balls: Divide the mixture into two parts – about 1/3 for the snowman head and 2/3 for the body. Slightly wet your hands and roll each portion into a ball or use a piece of plastic wrap to shape them without the mess. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Coat in “snow”: Pour the finely grated white cheddar into a shallow bowl or plate. Unwrap your chilled cheese balls and roll each one in the cheese, using your hand to press it on so it sticks and looks like a snowball.
- Assemble the snowman body: Once they’re fully coated, place the larger ball on your serving platter and set the smaller one above to form your snowman shape.
- Add the cute snowman details: Now for the fun part – bringing your snowman to life!
- Nose: Slice off the thin tip of a carrot (or cut out a carrot-shaped nose piece).
- Eyes, mouth and buttons: Cut little circles out of black olives. I like to slice off the ends and sides to make flat surfaces and then use two different stainless steel straws to punch out the circles (a wide straw for the eyes and buttons and a regular sized one for the tiny mouth dots).
- Arms: Break a pretzel rod in half and press each piece into the sides of the body.
- Scarf: Wrap a strip of prosciutto around the neck.
- Optional snow: If you want, sprinkle any extra grated white cheddar around the base for a snowy effect.
- Serve: Serve with a variety of crackers, crusty bread or veggies like celery sticks, cucumber slices and mini peppers.
Notes
- Substitutes for the olives: For the snowman’s eyes, mouth and buttons, I used two different sized straws to punch out little circles from black olives. But if olives aren’t your thing, no worries. Whole black peppercorns work too (just pull them off before eating if you don’t love biting into one – this is why I opted for the black olives). Dried cranberries or currants are another option.
- White cheddar substitutions: The cheese balls get rolled in finely grated white cheddar to give that snowy look but you can use any finely grated white cheese you like.
- Try different “arms”: I used a pretzel rod snapped in half for the snowman arms. Some other options include grissini breadsticks, celery sticks, rosemary sprigs or any type of long thinner cracker.
- Swap the carrot nose: A little triangle cut from an orange bell pepper works too.
- Change up the scarf: I used a strip of prosciutto for the scarf but you can swap it out for roasted red pepper slices, green onion, basil or spinach leaves instead.
- Make it vegetarian: Just leave out the bacon bits in the cheese ball mixture and choose one of the veggie-friendly scarf options above.
