How To Make a Cheese Ball

When cream cheese and the happy hostess met, a magical cocktail party food was born. I’m talking about the cheese ball. Creamy, dreamy, and cheesy, this centerpiece of a cheese tray or standalone snack with crackers was the elegant update on dips. The combination of the mildness of cream cheese and the sharpness of the grated cheddar, all amped up with a dash of Dijon and a splash of Worcestershire, made it oh so inviting.

Now it’s your turn. The cheese ball may be retro, but there’s a reason that cheese balls have a hallowed place in the hors d’oeuvre hall of fame. Here’s how to master the art of the cheese ball and make it your very own.

From the 1950s through the 1970s, cheese balls sat next to every martini and Manhattan at every soirée and fancy-pants affair. Sure, to be a “cheese ball” eventually meant that you were corny and sort of hokey, but this food that rocked America remains quick and easy to make.

Since it has to be made ahead, it takes any last-minute to-dos off the list. It’s so handy, so versatile, and so good at being a “make it work, designers” dish that you can probably make two or three fantastically flavorful and creative versions from what you have on hand this very minute. (Tim Gunn would be proud.) So take the cheese ball out of the dustbin of once-trendy foods and you will discover why one of the great American recipes is still rockin’ and ready for your next gathering.

Traditional cheese balls are a mixture of cream cheese, grated semi-soft or semi-firm cheese whipped smooth with a few added flavorings, which are then shaped into a ball of about four inches in diameter and rolled in nuts. With crackers, carrot sticks, and celery, they serve the same function as the crudité platters of cut veggies with dip that have commanded parties since the early ’80s.

In many ways, a cheese ball isn’t even a recipe; it’s a concept with four directions. What makes a cheese ball so versatile is that you can quite literally change almost every element and still be good to go.

• Mix room-temperature cream cheese and other cheese until smooth.
• Shape into a ball.
• Chill.
• Roll in crunchy stuff and serve.

When it comes to the creamy component, cream cheese is the classic foundation, and it works incredibly well. As in any dish with a few ingredients, the quality of what you use becomes vital, so pick the best cheese you can afford. You’ll be stretching any pricey cheese or flavorings with inexpensive cream cheese, which helps keeps this dish both special and doable on most budgets.

The single trick to getting a cheese ball to work well is that every ingredient must be at room temperature. Yes, must. Soft, warm cheeses become integrated into a single flavor, with a new texture and aroma that simply cannot occur if you start with cold ingredients. Set the cream cheese and cheeses out on the counter for about an hour before you start and you will be problem-free.

For the base cheese: Cream cheese is our first choice for its firm texture and mild creaminess. It creates a base so handy that it is easy to make the mixture into whatever you want. With the addition of one or two ingredients, the base is made firmer and shaped into a sculpture (think football or snowman, not three-foot swan) or softer (think dip). It’s easy to make, easy to modify, and easy to fix.

If you feel adventuresome, try mascarpone, quark, neufchatel, creamy feta, soft goat cheese, or fromage blanc as an alternative base to the cream cheese.

The second cheese: Once you have the base set, you can get crazy with the second cheese. As long as it’s not a grating cheese or crumbly, like Parmesan or cotija, it’ll work.

Don’t leave cream cheese out more than about two hours unrefrigerated, please, but the second cheese can sit out for about four hours; just keep them all covered and away from a hot stove or running dishwasher.

A good cheese ball is a study in texture. You want to create contrast between the smooth, creamy interior and the chewy add-ins. Things like crunchy bacon, crackers, and roasted nuts are all ideal toppings. Mince your toppings — they should be pretty small so they are easily incorporated into the cheese as it spreads.

Cheese balls keep extraordinarily well as long as you do not roll them in the outer topping until just before serving. Wrapped in plastic and then foil, a cheese ball will keep for up to a week, making it a great nibble to have on hand during party season or any random get-together.

Having some trouble with your cheese ball? No worries. The texture of a cheeseball is super easy to fix, so if you add a few too many optional ingredients, or if the cheese you used ends up runnier than you expected, fear not.

• Your cheese ball is too runny: Once you have added all the extras, and it’s all mixed in well, if the texture is more salad dressing-like than something you might spread on a bagel, you can tighten it up easily by adding unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing before you add more. You could also add more cream cheese, but it will not solidify the ball once it’s chilled as well as the butter.
• You added too many ingredients: If you add too many “things” like fruits and meat, add 3 tablespoons of cream cheese plus 1 teaspoon butter at a time and mix very well and taste. Still not quite right? Go one more round and add a teaspoon of the liquid flavoring, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire along with 3 tablespoons of cream cheese and mix very well. This will help you retain the backbone flavors.