Caramel Apple Cheese Ball Recipe

This Caramel Apple Cheese Ball is a quick and festive fall-themed appetizer that’s perfect for holiday parties and get-togethers. It’s sure to impress with creamy cream cheese, sharp cheddar, bits of crisp green apple, a hint of nutmeg, and a swirl of caramel that’s rolled in toasted walnuts for a crunchy texture.

Easy Cheese Ball Recipe

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 and can be made in advance.

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.

Caramel Apple Cheese Ball Ingredients

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

How to Make an Apple Cheese Ball

A cheeseball with cream cheese is especially easy to make. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Toast ¾ cup of chopped walnuts in a pan over medium-high heat, just until they start to brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
2. Stir together 8-ounces of softened cream cheese and 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese in a medium bowl. Stir in ½ of a diced medium green, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon caramel sauce until ingredients are evenly incorporated.
3. Use your hands to roll into a ball shape.
4. Spread walnut pieces on a plate or flat surface, and roll the cheese ball to evenly coat the outside.
5. Drizzle the top with extra caramel sauce and serve with crackers.

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 outof  the fridge 10 minutes before serving
• If you don’t have walnuts, you could use hazelnuts or cashews
• Freezing for longer storage is not recommended, as dairy will curdle when defrosted

FAQ’s for this Recipe

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

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 it sit at room temperature for 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

Caramel Apple Cheese Ball

Written by Matt | Plating Pixels

A sweet and savory Caramel Apple Cheese Ball with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, apples, nutmeg, and caramel that's ready in 10 minutes and perfect for holiday parties.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings (1 ball)

Calories 205 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup walnuts chopped
• 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 the walnuts in a pan over medium-high heat just until browned, stirring often, or about 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, stir together softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir in apple pieces, nutmeg, and caramel sauce until ingredients are evenly incorporated.
• Use your hands to roll into a ball shape.
• Spread walnut pieces on a plate or flat surface, and roll the cheese ball to evenly coat the outside.
• Drizzle the 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

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

13

g

20

%

Saturated Fat

 

4

g

25

%

Cholesterol

 

14

mg

5

%

Sodium

 

259

mg

11

%

Potassium

 

76

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

15

g

5

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

140

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

 

0.4

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

139

mg

14

%

Iron

 

1.2

mg

7

%

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

Keyword cheese appetizer, Cheese Ball, easy caramel cheese ball

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