Party Perfect Cranberry Cheese Ball with Goat Cheese

Name: Party Perfect Cranberry Cheese Ball with Goat Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 8 oz. cream cheese; 4 oz. goat cheese; ⅓ cup dried cranberries; ½ tsp garlic powder; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 2 tbsp dried cranberries; 4 dried apricots; 1 tsp fresh thyme; 3 tbsp pecan halves (about 1 oz.); 3 tbsp pistachios (about 1 oz.); 3 tbsp pepitas (about 1 oz. )

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This Cranberry Cheese Ball with Goat Cheese sits perfectly at the intersection of sweet, savory, and creamy with a delicious and eye-catching coating. It makes an impressive appetizer for your next gathering!

The finished cranberry and goat cheese ball wrapped in chopped apricots, cranberries, pecans, pistachios, pepitas, and thyme presented on a wood platter.

Having a cheese board at your happy hour or cocktail party is practically a requirement. Taking it up a notch with this jeweled cranberry cheese ball centerpiece will make yours stand out from the rest! If you want to opt for a warm goat cheese dip to serve, try this Baked Goat Cheese Dip.

Looking for more special starters for your next party? Try my Buttered Pecans, Caramelized Onion Dip, or this Greek Salad Dip. Or end your party with a sweet treat with this Dark Chocolate Hummus! Serve cranberry cocktails or mocktails using this festive Cranberry Syrup with Vanilla, too!

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Ingredients
Prepare the Cheese Mixture
Prepare the Nuts, Seeds, Herbs, and Fruit Coating
Finish the Cheese Ball
Substitutions and Variations
Equipment
Serving Suggestions
Make It Kid Friendly
Make Ahead Options and Storage
Top Tip for Food Safety
FAQ
More Cranberry Recipes
Pairing Suggestions:
Try It and Share
Recipe
Comments

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

Pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, cream cheese, dried apricots, goat cheese, and seasonings are arranged in various bowls and plates on a brown surface.

Cream Cheese: This is the creamy and smooth base you need to make the cheese ball spreadable. Adding only goat cheese is too crumbly!
Goat Cheese: The mild tangy flavor is mellowed even further by the cream cheese, but it is still present! I don't buy anything fancy for this appetizer since it is being mixed up with so many other flavors.
Garlic Powder: Just a bit of garlic flavor compliments all of the earthy nuts and sweet fruits in the coating.
Black Pepper: I like a bit of heat in the mix, but feel free to increase the amount you add to your taste.
Dried Cranberries: These are added to both the cheese mixture and to the coating for sweet-tart flavor and that jeweled appearance.
Dried Apricots: Their sweet flavor and golden hue are perfect additions to the cranberry cheese ball.
Pepitas: You'll also see these sold as pumpkin seeds in stores. Pepitas are the green center of the white seeds you'd scoop out of a pumpkin. The white part is the hull of the seed. You'll find raw and roasted varieties, but I'd re-toast any seeds before adding them to the cheese ball.
Pecans and Pistachios: Toasted pecans are one of my favorite aromas, and they add such a nice flavor to savory foods. The vibrant green pops of color in the pistachios are a pretty addition to the cheese ball coating. Buy both nuts raw or roasted and don't worry if they are already salted.
Thyme: Just a bit of fresh herb goes a long way in adding that special touch to make the cheese ball shine.

Prepare the Cheese Mixture

No baking required for this recipe, but you will need a food processor and some long pieces of plastic wrap to create the ball shape.

Cubes of cream cheese and goat cheese along with ground pepper and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor.

Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic powder, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. There's no need to soften the cream cheese ahead of time.

Goat cheese and cream cheese blended in a food processor until smooth.

Process until the mixture is very smooth, scraping down the bowl once to make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.

The whipped texture of the processed cheeses and cranberries in the bowl of the food processor.

Add in the cranberries and pulse until the cranberries are chopped up (but not pureed) and the mixture is well blended. Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl again before the final pulse.

A ball of cream cheese, goat cheese, pepper, and garlic shaped into a ball with plastic wrap on a brown surface.

Lay two long sheets of plastic wrap on your work surface, crossing them at right angles to form an "x" or cross. Pile the cheese mixture up in the center of the plastic wrap and gather the plastic up around the cheese. Twist the ends together, forming a tight ball. Refrigerate the ball for one hour.

Prepare the Nuts, Seeds, Herbs, and Fruit Coating

Pecans, pistachios, and pepitas toasted in a dry skillet.

Toast the pecans, pistachios, and pepitas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. You'll want to watch them carefully and keep the skillet moving so they don't burn. The pepitas will turn golden and start to pop and the pecans will become fragrant. Remove them from the heat to a cutting board to cool.

A plate with a mixture of chopped pecans, pistachios, pepitas, apricots, cranberries, and thyme for coating the cheese ball.

Chop the pecans and the pistachios. I prefer to leave the pepitas whole, but you can chop those as well if you choose. Transfer the chopped nuts and seeds to a dinner plate. Try to leave behind any of the "dust" or nuts and seeds that are chopped too fine on the cutting board to create a clean coating for the cheese ball.

Chop the cranberries and the apricots in a similar size and transfer those to the dinner plate as well. Finally, add the herbs to the mixture. For thyme, you can simply strip the tiny leaves. Give the coating a good mix to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Finish the Cheese Ball

The goat cheese and cream cheese ball being rolled in the chopped nuts and fruit to cover.

Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap it. I save the outer layer of plastic wrap for the next step. Place the cheese ball on the coating mixture and carefully rotate it to cover. Flip it over, roll the sides, and press the coating gently to make an even layer.

The goat cheese ball coated with chopped pecans, pistachios, apricots, thyme, and cranberries and wrapped in plastic wrap on a white plate.

Transfer the coated cheese ball to the plastic wrap from the first trip to the refrigerator (or get a new sheet of plastic wrap) and twist to keep the spherical shape. You can kind of mold the ball to the desired final shape at this point and then refrigerate for at least one hour to help it firm up.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

Use a Variety of Nuts and Seeds - Use walnuts, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds in place of (or in addition to) the pecans, pepitas, and pistachios. Simply keep the total quantity of the nuts and seeds the same as in the recipe card.
Swap the Herbs - Finely chopped rosemary leaves or parsley can be used in place of the thyme.
Vegan Cream Cheese - I have successfully made this with a vegan cream cheese, but the cheese ball tends to be softer and the chill times are very important to help you roll the ball successfully.
Make a Cranberry Cheese Log - Simply roll the cheese mixture into a log in the plastic wrap when you remove it from the food processor. A cranberry goat cheese log can make a dramatic centerpiece to a long table-length grazing board.

A crostini spread with the cranberry and goat cheese studded with pistachios and pecans on a wood platter.

Equipment

I make this recipe most frequently in my food processor. It makes quick work of the cheeses and you can use the ingredients right from the refrigerator.

If you don’t have a food processor, bring your cream cheese and goat cheese to room temperature and use a hand mixer to whip the cheeses together for a smooth mixture. Chop the cranberries on a cutting board before mixing them in with the cheeses and continue on with the recipe as written.

Serving Suggestions

Add your cranberry cheese ball to a platter and surround it with a variety of crackers, thinly sliced and toasted focaccia bread, fruit like grapes or apple slices, and roasted nuts. Provide a cheese spreader or knife for easy serving.

You can also add this cheese ball to a charcuterie platter (try these fun Charcuterie Skewers!) for a perfect compliment to the salty cured meats.

The cranberry goat cheese ball swerved on a wooden platter alongside apples, grapes, crackers, and crostini for an appetizer.

Don't want to bother with the coating process at all? Make a cranberry goat cheese spread by mixing the chopped nuts, seeds, herbs, and fruit into the cheese mixture once you've processed it.

Do this by hand to avoid breaking the coating into pieces that are too small. This will speed up the prep time, as you won't need that additional hour to firm up the shape. You can then transfer the spread into a serving bowl before chilling. Serve the cranberry goat cheese spread with pretzel thins or crackers for a more casual appetizer.

Make It Kid Friendly

My kids love a good snack board, and a cheese ball has some wow factor! If you are serving kids and wish to make this recipe even more kid friendly, omit the goat cheese and garlic and use an additional four ounces of cream cheese. This makes a more mild spread and the coating can consist of any of your family’s favorite dried fruits, like apricots, raisins, golden raisins, dates, cranberries, or currants.

Make Ahead Options and Storage

This appetizer can be made ahead of time for a party. Store the prepared cranberry cheese ball in your refrigerator for up to 24 hours, keeping it wrapped in plastic. The cranberry and cheese mixture can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator without the nuts and fruit coating. Simply roll the ball in the coating the day of your event and chill it right up to serving time.

Do not refrigerate leftovers if you have served the cheese ball at room temperature for more than two hours.

Top Tip for Food Safety

Charcuterie and cheese should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. This article on charcuterie boards and food safety is an excellent resource for preparing and serving all sorts of boards safely.

FAQ

What cheese goes well with cranberry?

Sharp and salty cheeses like goat cheese, white cheddar, and blue cheeses make a great compliment to the sweet-tart flavors of dried cranberries.

Can you use fresh cranberries in a cranberry cheese ball?

It is not recommended to use fresh cranberries in place of dried cranberries in this recipe. Fresh cranberries are very tart and they have none of the sweetness or chewy texture of dried cranberries.

Should you serve a cranberry cheese ball cold or at room temperature?

Bring the cranberry cheese out and let it warm for about 15-20 minutes before serving so that the flavors are more prominent and the cheese is easily spreadable.

More Cranberry Recipes

Cranberries are a seasonal delight! If you love them as much as we do, here are some other recipes that use fresh and dried cranberries:

Pairing Suggestions:

These are my favorite dishes to serve with a cranberry cheese ball. This menu would be perfect for entertaining!

This Cranberry Herb Goat Cheese Ball with Nuts and Cream Cheese will be the hit of the party. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.