Caramel Apple Cheese Ball Recipe

Caramel apple cheese ball is a quick and easy holiday or New Year’s appetizer. This cheese ball recipe is so fun and flavorful, your guests will be raving about it and you may need to make more than one! Simply mix cream cheese, sharp cheddar, green apple, nutmeg, and caramel, then serve with crackers. 

Easy Cheese Ball Recipe

At first, a Caramel Apple Cheese Ball might seem over the top, but I can assure you this is the best cheese ball recipe and will impress your guests. Even better, it’s super easy and only takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

When hosting or attending parties, I find cheese appetizers are ideal. They can be prepared quickly and ahead of time, even the day before. Then simply place them out for guests to enjoy.

Tips for making the perfect cheese ball

• If you’re having trouble shaping the ball try using wet hands to avoid it sticking to you
• This cheese ball can be made in advance and left in the fridge covered in cling film
• If making in advance bring it out the fridge 10 minutes before serving
• If you don’t have walnuts you could use hazelnuts or cashews
• Freezing for longer storage not recommended as dairy will curd when defrosted

How to make a cheese ball

Ingredients – What You Need

• Cream Cheese – Make sure it’s at room temperature
• Sharp Cheddar – Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor
• Walnuts – Chopped, adds delicious flavor and texture. Toasting them before brings out a nice roasted flavor. 
• Green Apple – Adds a fresh flavor and crunch  plus goes so well with cheese
• Caramel Sauce – Sweet and delicious
• Nutmeg – A small amount goes a long way
• Crackers – For serving

Method

Cheese balls are especially easy to make. For this Caramel Apple Cheese Ball, stir together softened cream cheese and shredded sharp cheddar. Then stir in caramel, nutmeg and diced green apple.

Form into a ball by hand then roll in chopped, toasted walnuts to coat.

Do you need to bring the cream cheese to room temp?

This is a critical part of making a cheese ball recipe. Once softened, cream cheese will mix well with the other ingredients. It also makes rolling the cheese ball much easier. 

Once formed, roll in nuts such as chopped pecans, then chill a bit to firm before serving.

How to serve a cheese ball

You can eat a cheese ball with a variety of foods, but crackers are most common. It’s best to let sit at room temp about 15 minutes to soften a bit and make spreading easier.

What are the best crackers to serve with? Serve with buttery, flaky crackers such as Ritz for a nice texture pairing. However, any crackers such as multi-grain, Triscuits, or gluten-free crackers work well too.

Besides crackers, try serving a cheese ball with the following foods:

• Crostini slices
• Fresh bread
• Pita chips
• Tortilla chips
• Veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumber, or bell pepper

How long will a cheese ball last?

You can make a cheese ball ahead of time and store 1 to 3 days in the fridge. If stored longer than that the flavor will be affected. Pro tip: seal well in plastic wrap for optimal flavor and freshness. Freezing is not recommended due to the texture change when defrosting.

Try this Caramel Apple Cheese Ball and you’ll realize just how fun and easy holiday appetizers can be. Looking for more ideas? Here’s a list of 10 more cheese ball recipes you might like.

Recipe at-a-glance:

Flavor profiles: Sharp cheese with just a bit of tang and sweetness.
Texture: Thick, creamy and perfectly spreadable.

More Cheese Ball Recipes You’ll Like

• Pumpkin Cheese Ball
• Lemon Herb Goat Cheese Ball
• Craisins White Cheddar Cheese Ball

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Print

5 from 7 votes

Caramel Apple Cheese Ball

Caramel apple cheese ball makes a quick and easy holiday appetizer. Simply mix cream cheese, sharp cheddar, green apple and caramel; serve with crackers.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese appetizer, Cheese Ball, easy caramel cheese ball

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Calories 205kcal

Servings 12 servings (1 ball)

Author: Matt Ivan

Did you know? Servings and ingredient amounts can be adjusted on all my recipes. Click the green number above to change.

Ingredients

• ▢ ¾ cup walnuts
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
• ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ▢ ½ medium green apple, diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzle
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ 1 package crackers

Instructions

• Toast walnuts in a pan over medium-high heat just until browning starts, stirring often; about 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely, then chop or crush walnut into small pieces.
• In a medium bowl, stir together softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir in apple, nutmeg and caramel until ingredients are evenly incorporated. Use hands to roll into a ball shape.
• Spread walnut pieces on a plate or flat surface, and roll cheese ball to evenly coat outside. Drizzle top with extra caramel sauce and serve with crackers.

Notes

• If you're having trouble shaping the ball try using wet hands to avoid it sticking to you
• This cheese ball can be made in advance and left in the fridge covered in cling film
• If making in advance bring it out the fridge 10 minutes before serving
• If you don't have walnuts you could use hazelnuts or cashews
• Freezing for longer storage not recommended as dairy will curd when defrosted
•  

Nutrition Facts

Caramel Apple Cheese Ball

Amount Per Serving

Calories 205 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 14mg5%

Sodium 259mg11%

Potassium 76mg2%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 140IU3%

Vitamin C 0.4mg0%

Calcium 139mg14%

Iron 1.2mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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