Assorted Holiday Goat Cheese Balls

This easy no-bake recipe makes creamy, tangy Goat Cheese Balls with four yummy topping variations – fresh dill, chives, pistachios and pomegranate seeds! With mini pretzel sticks acting as edible toothpicks, they’re a lovely appetizer for any special occasion.

My Favorite Finger Foods for the Holidays

These assorted goat cheese balls are a gourmet snack or appetizer that couldn’t be easier to make. You just have to blend a few ingredients in your food processor, shape the cheese balls, chill them, roll them into the toppings and poke in the pretzel sticks. There’s no cooking or baking involved!

This one quick recipe gives you four delicious cheese ball flavors to enjoy. Between the pistachio, dill, chive and pomegranate, I simply can’t decide on a favorite. You can pick and choose which toppings you use depending on your preferences, but I recommend trying them all! You could even get creative by mixing and matching multiple toppings onto each cheese ball.

What You’ll Need

These goat cheese balls are made with just 4 ingredients before they’re coated in the toppings and finished off with pretzel stick handles.

• Goat Cheese: This ultra-creamy cheese is full of vitamins and healthy fats.
• Cream Cheese: To supplement the goat cheese.
• Garlic Powder & Dry Basil: To add a delightful hint of garlic-herb flavor.
• Pistachios: Crushed.
• Fresh Dill: Chopped.
• Fresh Chives: Chopped.
• Pomegranate Seeds: This recipe makes enough of each topping to coat a quarter of the finished cheese balls.
• Pretzel Sticks: Or toothpicks.

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How to Make Assorted Goat Cheese Balls

This luxurious appetizer is almost too easy! Grab your food processor and follow the simple instructions below.

Combine Cheese Ball Ingredients: Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic powder and basil to your food processor. Blend until combined.

Chill Mixture: Place the cheese ball mixture in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.

Form Cheese Balls: Remove the mixture from the fridge and roll it into 1/2-inch balls (you should be able to make 12-14 of them).

Chill Again: Place the balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, or until they’ve set.

Add Toppings: Remove your hardened cheese balls from the refrigerator and roll them into the prepared toppings.

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Enjoy! Place a pretzel stick through the center of each ball and serve.

Tips for Success

With the help of the tips below, you’re destined to prepare the perfect appetizer. So don’t forget to check them out!

• Season to Taste: If you’d like to add more garlic powder or dried basil to your cheese ball mixture, go right ahead. Just keep in mind that the toppings will add additional flavor.
• Don’t Skimp on the Chill Time: You have to chill your goat cheese mixture as indicated in the recipe – both before and after you form the balls. The initial chill time helps you create the balls, and the latter makes them easier to roll into the toppings.
• Refrigerate Unless Serving Immediately: If you’re not serving your cheese balls right away, keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in. This keeps them fresh and prevents them from melting.

What to Serve with Cheese Balls

I like to enjoy my goat cheese balls with crackers, chips or more pretzels. You could also drizzle them with a little bit of honey or maple syrup. Sometimes, I’ll even serve them over a salad like this Easy Arugula Salad with candied pecans, pomegranate seeds and white balsamic dressing!

Storage Instructions

These cheese balls should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container. They’re best if they’re eaten within 1 week, but they should last for up to 2 if you store them properly. If you’d like to store them for longer than a week, I recommend adding the toppings just before serving.

Can I Freeze These?

Easily! But I suggest rolling them into the toppings after they have thawed. Wrap each cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them in a freezer-safe container or storage bag. Unwrap them and thaw them in an airtight container in the fridge – just make sure they’re not touching each other so that they don’t stick together. Frozen cheese balls last for up to 2 months.

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More Easy No-Bake Appetizers

Want more tasty appetizers that don’t require any baking? Refer to the recipes below!

• Spicy Cream Cheese Cucumber Bites
• Homemade Hummus
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Bites with Balsamic Reduction
• Watermelon Feta Bruschetta

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