Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball

Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball on a plater surrounded by crackers and carrots

So, as you all know, I’m a major fan of cheese balls. They’re the perfect party appetizer: easy to make, easy to serve, and always a crowd-pleaser for young and old alike.

Best of all, the basic cheese ball is an incredibly versatile recipe with infinite variations. You can try different kinds of cheese in the base, switch up the seasonings, add a myriad of different toppings…it’s almost impossible to go wrong.

The only thing that can make a cheese ball even better is turning it from a plain old ball into a fun shape that fits in with a seasonal gathering. A couple years ago, I came up with this pumpkin-shaped cheese ball for a fall party, and it was such a BIG HIT that I just had to make up a variation on it for winter.

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And here it is: the Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball, a jolly happy soul with a carrot nose and peppercorn eyes. Just pop him on a plate with a variety of your favorite veggies or crackers, and he’ll be the life of any winter party.

 Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1  (1 oz) packet of dry ranch mix ( or 3 Tablespoons of my DIY dry ranch mix)
2 cups shredded white cheddar (shredded mozzarella or an Italian blend works well too!), divided
plastic cling wrap ( for shaping balls)
9-10 whole peppercorns
1 small carrot
a variety of veggies, chips an crackers to eat with

  1. Place your cream cheese, ranch and 1 cup of shredded cheese into a stand mixer. Mix until well combined.
    Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball - cream cheese mixture and cheese in mixing bowl
  2. Lay out 2 pieces of plastic cling wrap.  Place about 1 cup of cheese mixture into the center of one piece and the rest on the other. The larger ball  should be about 1.5 cups.  Remember, you want one to be larger for the bottom of the snowman.
    Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball - Cheese mixture placed on cling wrap
  3. Wrap up the balls and round them out with your hands. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
    NOTE: They don’t have to be perfect, the shredded cheese you place on the outside at the end will hide any bumpy flaws.How to make a cheese ball, cheese mixture wrapped in cling wrap
  4. Once they have chilled, roll your cheese balls in the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
    Placing shredded cheese around cheese ball
  5.  Form your cheese ball snowman on a plate.  Placing peppercorns on for his eyes, mouth and buttons. Don’t forget the carrot nose! Surround your happy little holiday ranch cheese ball with your favorite veggies, crackers and chips!
  6. Isn’t he the cutest thing you’ve ever seen
    Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball that looks like a snowman on a platter with crackers and carrots

Isn’t he the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!

Child smiling at holiday themed cheese ball

Here are more holiday recipes we love!

5 from 7 votes

Holiday Ranch Cheese Ball

Author Corey Valley
This holiday ranch cheese ball is the perfect holiday party appetizer: easy to make, easy to serve, and always a crowd-pleaser for young and old alike.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 16 oz cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 1 oz packet of dry ranch mix ( or 3 Tablespoons of my DIY dry ranch mix)
  • 2 cups shredded white cheddar shredded mozzarella or an Italian blend works well too!, divided
  • plastic cling wrap for shaping balls
  • 9-10 whole peppercorns
  • 1 small carrot
  • a variety of veggies chips an crackers to eat with

Instructions

  • Place your cream cheese, ranch and 1 cup of shredded cheese into a stand mixer. Mix until well combined.
  • Lay out 2 pieces of plastic cling wrap. Place about 1 cup of cheese mixture into the center of one piece and the rest on the other. The larger ball should be about 1.5 cups. Remember, you want one to be larger for the bottom of the snowman.
  • Wrap up the balls and round them out with your hands. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
  • NOTE: They don't have to be perfect, the shredded cheese you place on the outside at the end will hide any bumpy flaws.
  • Once they have chilled, roll your cheese balls in the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
  • Form your cheese ball snowman on a plate. Placing peppercorns on for his eyes, mouth and buttons. Don't forget the carrot nose! Surround your happy little holiday ranch cheese ball with your favorite veggies, crackers and chips!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 64mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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21 Comments

  1. Adorable!! There’s no doubt that the taste of this cheese ball would be a party hit but the look of it would indeed, make it a conversation piece. My grandchildren will adore it…..

  2. I love this!! I think I would use mini chocolate chips instead of peppercorns though … especially if my grandkids were eating it. 🙂

    1. Thanks a great idea! I was just trying to stick to the savory theme 🙂 Raisins would work too!

  3. 5 stars
    my mom made this snowman for an appetizer on thanksgiving – it was so cute and so tasty!!!

  4. OK, this is officially the most adorable cheese ball I have EVER seen! He’s almost too cute to eat! Great idea. 🙂

  5. Oh my goodness. This is the cutest cheeseball I have ever seen in my entire life! *hugs it regrettably*

  6. Oh my cuteness!!!! This is really the most adorable cheese ball I have ever seen. The fluffy shredded cheese is just perfect! I am pinning to make him for our Christmas party for sure!

  7. 5 stars
    This is just adorable!!! I might just have to make him for my cookie exchange this weekend. 🙂

  8. Super cute! I’m making this for a holiday potluck. I’d like to make it the night before. How will this keep in the refridgerator?

    1. You can make the initial balls the night before, but I wouldn’t add the cheese onto the outside until serving.

  9. 5 stars
    Just made one. SO easy to make! He’s adorable and looks very yummy!

    1. Yay! I’m so glad you loved the snowman 🙂

  10. This cheese ball snowman is adorable! I don’t want to eat it. I will make one for our Office Christmas Party.