Cranberry Nut Goat Cheese Ball
Deck your holiday snack table with bursts of Yuletide flavor by serving these cranberry nut goat cheese balls. With a festive pretzel skewer sticking out of the middle, these cheese balls are covered in a colorful medley of ruby red cranberries, emerald pistachios, golden toasted walnuts and crisp chives that evoke the very spirit of the season. Take a joyful of smooth herbed goat cheese swirled with vibrant cranberry sauce (try this recipe:) that looks just like Santa’s suit! Drizzled with glistening maple syrup right before serving, these wee bundles of holiday happiness are sure to sleigh your guests with delightful flavors reminiscent of the most wonderful time of the year. I kept adjusting and fixing it to the point my husband would call it “perfection” and that he’s now a simp for the cranberry nut goat cheese ball! lol
What kind of cheese goes with cranberries?
Many varieties of cheese pairs well with cranberries and the cranberries sauce. This includes Provolone, Goat cheese, Brie, Gouda, Manchego, Mahon, Feta, and cheese that can be melty and spreadable like cream cheese. In this recipe, I use the combination of goat and cream cheese. It becomes a perfect balance actually. However, if you do not like goat cheese, I strongly suggest that you replace it with Feta. If you’d like to know more why, feel free to read more about Feta cheese information from webmd here.
What is a good cracker for a cranberry nut goat cheese ball?
My personal favorite kind of crackers that goes amazingly with the cranberry nut goat cheese ball is the gourmet crackers. Unfortunately, not every store carry them and I’ve not yet tried to make them myself. However, I would want to try making them some day and develop my own recipe. But for now, I found a homemade gourmet crackers recipe that I believe is very inspiring from “Recipetineates” if you want to give it a try.
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Other crackers are also great with cranberry nut goat cheese ball includes Rita crackers, Wheat thins, Olive oil crackers, pretzels, toasted mini bagels, crostini, and Rosemary and olive oil flatbread crackers. My husband likes it with the cauliflower crackers too so they showed up in the video below when I developed this cranberry nut goat cheese ball recipe.
Can you freeze cheese balls?
Although you can freeze these cranberries nut goat cheese balls, it is important to make sure that you wrap the cheese ball in one layer of plastic wrap. Followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3-4 weeks and thaw in refrigerator overnight. Even better if you vacuum seal it, but best to consume them within 3-4 days. This because freezing cheese often forming ice crystals making them become crumbly and grainy once thawed.
What kind of nuts pair well with the cranberry not goat cheese ball?
I use the mix of walnuts and pistachio in this recipe as the give the green and golden color of Christmas along with the perfect creamy and crunchy texture along with the sweet floral and a touch of spiced flavor. However, you can totally be creative and use other nuts that you prefer such as almond and pecan. I’ve never tried using peanuts or Brazilian nut so I honestly cannot recommend them.
Cranberry Nut Goat Cheese Ball
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 spatula
- 1 hand mixer optional. You can do everything by hand too.
Ingredients
- 10 oz goat cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ⅓ cup cranberry sauce
- 4 tbsp maple syrup or honey and more for drizzling when serve.
- ½ cup walnut or pecan
- 1 cup pistachios divided in halves
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- 3 tbsp minced fresh chives or parsley
- a pinch salt
- Pretzels sticks optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Set aside. Note : Do not beat it for too long or it will turn into a too soft spread and will be harder to form a ball.
- Use a spatula for folding. Add 1/2 cup pistachios chips, cinnamon powder, cranberry sauce, a pinch of salt, and maple syrup folding to combine.
- Line your countertop with parchment paper. Toss together remaining pistachios chips, walnuts, dried cranberries and chopped chives in the center of the parchment paper. See the video below.
- Using a meatball scooper, scoop out one or 1 1/2 round of cheese filling and toss in the cranberry/nut/chives mixture. Continue until all cranberry nut goat cheese balls have been rolled in coating.
- Refrigerate cheeseballs until ready to serve. You can make these up to three days before, just make sure and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To Serve: Serve with crackers, pretzels or a piece of sourdough toast.
- Note : If some how to spread turns out too soft to form a ball, simply cover the bowl then put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. The cheese will harden but still soft enough to form a ball or balls and still easy to spread. Enjoy!
I tried this delicious cheese balls. I love the addition of nuts, cranberries and chives. I will make it again even after the Holidays. So good!
Thank you so much. So happy to hear that you love them 😀