Easy Reindeer Cheese Ball Christmas Appetizer
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This Reindeer Cheese Ball is the cutest appetizer for your Christmas holiday party. Your guest will love how cute this looks on your table and no one will know just how easy it was to make.
This little guy looks great on a holiday party table and best of all, you can prepare it ahead of time.
This is one of our easy Christmas party recipes, you will want to bookmark for later.
This Reindeer Christmas Appetizer is:
Simple and Tasty. This delicious appetizer is super simple. This easy recipe made with a handful of simple ingredients and can be made ahead of time.
Festive and Fun. It is adorable and perfect on a charcuterie board or Christmas eve snack board.
Inexpensive. This holiday cheese ball is very inexpensive to make. This factor comes in handy around the holidays.
Ingredients
- softened cream cheese
- shredded cheese, I used cheddar
- ranch seasoning
- green onion, chopped
- chopped cooked bacon
- chopped pecans
- black olives
- cherry tomato
- twist pretzels
- Variety of crackers and pretzels for dipping
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment and Kitchen Tools
- Large bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Large plate or a serving platter
Substitutions & Variations
This makes one large cheese ball, but you coud easily make several mini cheese balls. If you are going to make smaller cheese balls, be sure to use mini pretzels for the reindeer antlers.
How to Make a Reindeer Cheese Ball
Step 1 – Mix Cream Cheese
In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Ranch seasoning, bacon and green onions.
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Step 2 – Wrap the Cheese Ball and Chill
Transfer cheese ball mixture to a clean surface. Wrap cheese mixture large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap and chill at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.
Step 3 – Roll in Nuts
Remove chilled cheese ball from the refrigerator and roll in crushed nuts.
Step 4 – Add Reindeer Features
Transfer to a serving dish. Add the olive eyes, tomato nose and pretzel ears.
Add crackers around the cheese ball for serving.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serving
Serve with your favorite crackers or pretzel sticks.
Storage
Store leftover cheese ball in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Timesaving Tips to Make the Best Rudolph Cheese Ball
- For best results, use softened cream cheese.
- Shred the cheese ahead of time and it is ready to go when you are.
- You can prepare the cheese ball ahead of time, just don’t add the nuts until ready to serve or they will get soggy.
More Reindeer recipes
More of the cutest holiday appetizer ideas for your Christmas party.
Reindeer Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1 oz. packet of ranch seasoning
- ¼ cup green onion chopped
- 3/4 cup cooked chopped bacon
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- 2 black olives
- 1 cherry tomato
- 4 mini twist pretzels
- Crackers and pretzels for dipping
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning, and green onion.
- Fold all of the ingredients together until well combined and everything is evenly distributed.
- Once well combined, shape the cheese ball into a ball shape.
- Wrap the cheese ball in saran wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or over night.
- Before serving, combine the bacon and pecans and sprinkle into an even layer on a plate.
- Roll the cheese ball into the bacon and pecan mixture, until covered.
- To add the black olive eyes and tomato nose, use a spoon to scoop out a bit of the cheeseball where you want them placed, and press into the cheese ball, re-covering with any of the bacon mixture, as needed.
- Press 4 pretzels into the top of the cheese ball for antlers.
- Serve & enjoy!
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This is so adorable!
Raquel, I love the reindeer cheese ball!!! so cute and looks delicious too! – Patty
Thank you Patty!
This came out so cute!