Weekend Recipe: Spicy Cheese Balls
Wait, hold up, don’t turn away just because you’ve had some scary cheese ball experiences in the past. Instead of being the monsterish, dull, and avoidable store-bought variety, these little bundles of cheesy joy are easy-to-make, delicious, and a stand out at parties year-round--so much so that it’s a good idea to make a double batch. The recipe (which is from, if you’ll allow me a second of self promotion, the Made In A Flash chapter in my new book, Party Snacks) does carry a bit of spicy-ness though, so be sure to warn guests if they have a spicy aversion. It’s not so spicy that they should be worried about scorch mouth or anything, but just enough that they should go in ready. You can see the finished product in the photo (utilizing the toothpick method from step 3 below) taken by my wife Natalie at a recent party; a photo that was obviously from early in the evening, because that platter was picked clean in no time.
Makes 35 to 40 bite-sized cheese balls
Ingredients:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Put the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic, parsley, cayenne and black peppers, and salt in a food processor. Process for 5 to 10 seconds, until well blended. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Spread the chopped walnuts on a plate. Shape the cheese mixture into 35 to 40 small cheese balls, each about the size of a large marble. Roll each cheese ball in the walnuts, coating the outside (you may have to press a little to ensure sticking).
3. Serve the cheese balls on a large platter. You can put a toothpick in each ball, but you could also surround them with crackers and let guests use their hands. It all depends on what kind of party you’re having.
Mandy on December 21, 2008 at 09:48 AM
I love this simple appetizer. I recently made a spicy cheese spread for a party and the recipe made A TON, so I'm looking for ways to use up the remaining spicy cheese spread. I think making balls and rolling in chopped walnuts is a GREAT idea. Thanks!
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