Garlic Herb Reindeer Christmas Cheese Ball with Pecans

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Finding delicious recipes to serve at your Christmas party is essential. And when it comes to picking food to serve at your holiday get-together, you can’t go wrong with Christmas appetizers! With this Christmas cheese ball you can put together an adorable snack for your celebration that looks just like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. On top of being super cute, this garlic and herb cheese dip is packed with so much flavor, it’s sure to be a hit with your guests.

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You can’t go wrong by serving a cheeseball at your Christmas party. They’re perfect for anyone who is looking for gluten free party food or searching for a no-bake snack to make in a pinch.

On top of being quick and easy to make, this reindeer cheese ball is also simple to customize! Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see different ways you can make and serve this simple holiday appetizers.

Christmas Cheese Ball Recipe

You’re going to love how quick and easy these Christmas cheeseball comes together. That means it’s probably going to become your go-to appetizer for all your holiday parties and potlucks.

But my favorite part about this simple recipe is how easy it is to customize! To make the cheeseball like mine, you’ll need:

• Cream cheese. It’s a good idea to start with softened cream cheese to make mixing and forming your cheese ball a little easier. You can use full fat or reduced fat cheese, but I suggest regular cream cheese for the best flavor.
• Fresh herbs. Add tons of fresh flavor to your cheese dip with the help of herbs. I used fresh parsley, basil, oregano, dill and chives to season my cheese ball.
• Seasoning. In addition to fresh herbs, you can also add more flavor to the cream cheese with the help of a few seasonings, like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• Parmesan cheese. Give your cheese ball even more flavor with the help of shredded parmesan cheese. Skip the powdered cheese and use freshly shredded or grated parmesan for the best flavor.
• Pecans. Top the outside of the cheeseball with finely chopped nuts to add texture and crunch to your dip before serving.

How to Make a Christmas Cheese Ball

Putting this adorable Christmas appetizer together couldn’t be easier! Just follow these quick and easy steps for preparing and decorating your garlic herb cheese ball.

Before you can start decorating your cheese ball, you’ll need to start by forming the cream cheese base. First, add the softened cream cheese to a medium bowl. Then, add the finely chopped herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and parmesan cheese.

Stir to mix all the ingredients together until they’re well combined. Then, taste the cheese mixture and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

When you’re satisfied with the flavor of your cheese ball, scoop the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a ball. Then, bring the sides of the plastic wrap up over the cheese and tightly wrap it up.

Store the ball in the refrigerator for at least an hour or keep it refrigerated up to overnight before decorating.

When you’re ready to serve your garlic herb cheese ball, press the chopped pecans into the top and sides of the ball until it’s completely covered.

How to Decorate a Reindeer Cheese Ball

Now that you have your garlic herb cheese ball ready to go, you can start transforming it into a cute reindeer appetizer!

To decorate your cheeseball and give it some Christmas cheer, you’ll need a few extra ingredients to form the face of your reindeer. Luckily, you have a few different options for making each element of the face.

• To make the antlers for your reindeer, I suggest using pretzels. I used mini pretzels but you could also use full-sized pretzels for this part of the reindeer’s face. Pretzel sticks are another great option. And if you want to keep your cheeseball gluten free, simply use gluten free pretzels for this section of the recipe.
• For the eyes, I used black olives. Simply cut one black olive in half and press each half into the center of the cheese ball. You could also use sliced olives or green olives for the eyes. Another fun way to decorate the eyes is with large candy eyes.
• To make the reindeer’s nose, I used a cherry tomato. Any type of tomato is perfect for this part. Just trim it to make it the size of a small nose. You could also use red bell pepper or a red candy (like an M&M or jellybean).

What to Serve with a Christmas Cheeseball

Now that you know how to make this cute appetizer, the last step is to figure out how to serve it! Luckily, there are a variety of great options when it comes to finding snacks to enjoy with your garlic herb cheese ball.

Once you have your cheese ball decorated and ready to go, serve it with some of these snacks for dipping at your party.

• Crackers. Adding a variety of crackers around your cheese ball is a great option for serving. Make sure to provide your guests with a small cheese knife or spoon to make scooping off the cheese ball easy.
• Vegetables. Another great snack to add to your serving tray is veggies! Add some carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper pieces, cherry tomatoes, or baby carrots for a healthy snacking option.
• Pretzels. Serve your cheese ball with pretzels for a salty snack for dipping. Mini pretzels, pretzel sticks, and pretzel chips are all great for snacking.
• Bread. Small pieces of bread or breadsticks also make a great addition to your serving tray. Try serving a variety of bread options for dipping.
• Chips. You can’t go wrong with chips and dip at a party! Try serving your cheeseball with tortilla chips, pita chips, corn chips or potato chips.

More Easy Christmas Recipe Ideas:

Bugle Santa Hats Christmas Treats

Christmas Appetizer Puffs

Christmas Charcuterie Skewers with Meat and Cheese

Christmas Appetizer Wreath