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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    How to Make a Blue Cheese Cheese Ball

    Oct 12, 2021(updated Jan 27, 2023)

    By Michelle Weiner

    Savory, creamy and bold— follow these simple steps at home to make this blue cheese cheese ball with cream cheese and sour cream. It's a seriously easy appetizer for parties and entertaining! For best results, chill the prepared cheese ball in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
    No ratings yet
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Chill Time 1 hour
    Jump to Recipe Leave a Comment
    blue cheese cheese ball coated in pecans and parsley.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Follow these simple steps to learn How to Make a Blue Cheese Cheese Ball from scratch. It’s a seriously savory, creamy, and bold appetizer that’s perfect for game day and cocktail parties.

    blue cheese cheese ball coated in nuts and parsley.
    Jump to:
    • What is a cheese ball?
    • Ingredients you need
    • How to make a blue cheese cheese ball
    • Helpful tips
    • What to serve with a blue cheese cheese ball
    • Recipe

    A retro appetizer bursting with tangy goodness

    Are you a fan of blue cheese? Even if you think you aren’t, this recipe for a cheese ball with blue cheese will quickly change your mind! It’s full of rich and funky (in the best way) flavors and perfect for both fans of the cheese and adventurous newbies.

    In this guide, I’ll teach you How to Make a Blue Cheese Cheese Ball using simple ingredients that complement bold flavors beautifully. It begins by mixing crumbled blue cheese with cream cheese, sour cream, and a handful of flavor boosters. To finish, the outside is coated with crushed nuts and herbs, just like my Ham and Cheese Cheese Ball and Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball.

    Bring the cheesy snack with you to holiday parties, casual get-togethers, Super Bowl Sunday, and more! It’s sure to be a hit whenever die-hard cheese lovers are in attendance.

    a blue cheese cheese ball with a bite missing on a brown plate.

    What is a cheese ball?

    It’s literally a ball of cheese served as a party appetizer! Most cheese ball recipes are made with a mixture of cream cheese, shredded cheese, herbs, nuts, and sour cream or mayonnaise. They’re all mixed and rolled into a ball, then dipped in chopped nuts, dried fruit, or herbs before being spread on crackers, bread, and vegetables.

    This appetizer became popular in the 1940s when the recipe was first published in Food of My Friends, a cookbook by Virginia Safford. It was the go-to snack to bring to cocktail parties before the craze died out around the 2000s. Still, they’re a real crowd-pleaser and hard to resist!

    Ingredients you need

    This recipe for a cheese ball with blue cheese puts the star ingredient, blue cheese, on display. Therefore, you should use one you already think tastes great. The rest of the ingredients help the cheese's natural flavors shine:

    slices of blue cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon, herbs, and pecans on a blue counter.

    Blue cheese

    Blue cheese is known for its strong flavor, smell, and veins of blue “mold”. It’s made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, and the cultures from a mold called Penicillium. Because there’s no one kind of blue cheese, the textures and flavors can be all over the place, from salty and crumbly to creamy and earthy.

    I recommend using a crumbly classic blue cheese when making this blue cheese ball. Point Reyes Original Blue in particular crumbles well and pairs perfectly with the creamy and nutty flavors in this appetizer. 

    If you don’t go with a classic blue, make sure you use the kind of blue cheese that comes in a wedge instead of pre-crumbled as these can have anti-caking agents.

    Cream cheese

    Room temperature cream cheese is the secret to a super smooth and spreadable cheese ball. Goat’s cheese can sometimes be used as a replacement but I prefer cream cheese for its rich flavors.

    Sour cream

    A touch of sour cream adds tang and creaminess to every bite. Plus, it pairs so well with the strong blue cheese! Plain Greek yogurt will also work if that's what you have on hand.

    white cheese spread onto a saltine cracker.

    Nuts

    Crushed walnuts or almonds coat the outside of the cheese ball for a finishing touch. The crunchy coating adds dimension and texture to the otherwise rich and creamy bites, so I don’t recommend skipping them.

    Flavor boosters

    Green onions, lemon juice, and cracked pepper go a long way in the cheese ball mixture. They give this appetizer balance while increasing those tasty savory flavors.

    How to make a blue cheese cheese ball

    Whip up this 30-minute appetizer for game day, Super Bowl Sunday, cocktail parties, and more. The foolproof process is done entirely in one bowl:

    whipped cream cheese in a white bowl.

    Step 1: Whip the cream cheese in a bowl until it's light and airy.

    crumbled blue cheese, sour cream, and herbs in a white bowl.

    Step 2: Crumble the blue cheese, sour cream, parsley, lemon juice, green onions, and pepper in the same bowl.

    a creamy white blue cheese mixture in a white bowl.

    Step 3: Mix, mix, mix!

    a ball of cheese on top of brown parchment paper.

    Step 4: Form the mixture into a ball and wrap it tightly in parchment. Place it in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

    rolling a ball of white cheese in a plate of crushed nuts.

    Step 5: Roll the finished cheese ball in the toasted nuts and parsley, then serve!

    Helpful tips

    Follow these tips before putting this recipe together:

    Soften the cream cheese

    Always let the cream cheese come down to room temperature before making a cheese ball from scratch. Soft cream cheese is always easier to mix with the other ingredients, thus helping each element stick together. If you’re using cream cheese straight from the fridge then you run the risk of having chunks of it throughout the cheese ball.

    Toast the nuts

    This may sound like an extra, unnecessary step, but quickly toasting the nuts in a skillet or the oven will draw out their natural oils, making them 10 times as flavorful.

    Running low on time? Toast the nuts up to 3 days ahead of time or buy pre-toasted nuts instead.

    Make it ahead of time

    The cheese ball needs at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before it’s served to help it firm up. Instead of leaving your hungry guests waiting, prepare the cheese ball or certain elements ahead of time:

    • Toast the nuts and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
    • Mix the cheese ball ingredients together and store the mixture in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
    • Roll the cheese ball, wrap it tightly in parchment paper, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Set the cheese on the kitchen counter for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling it in the nuts and parsley, then serve.

    small white and brown plates holding saltine crackers and a cheese ball.

    What to serve with a blue cheese cheese ball

    Serve this tangy cheese ball on a simple cheese plate or surrounded by a colorful display of crackers, fruit, bread, and veggies. Don’t forget the cheese knife! This makes it easy for guests to serve themselves. 

    Turn to these delicious serving ideas when you need a little inspiration:

    • Vegetables - Sliced cucumbers, radishes, celery, and carrots.
    • Fruit - Like sliced apples and pears.
    • Crackers - A platter of rosemary and butter crackers pair nicely with the tangy cheese spread.
    • Bread - Sliced baguette, mini bagels, crusty bread, or toasted crostini.

    🎉 It's time to cook! 🎉

    Alright, friend! It's your turn to make this delish recipe for your next get-together.

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When you do, please leave a comment and star rating below so we can hear what you think! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Recipe

    blue cheese cheese ball coated in pecans and parsley.

    How to Make a Blue Cheese Cheese Ball

    Savory, creamy and bold— follow these simple steps at home to make this blue cheese cheese ball with cream cheese and sour cream. It's a seriously easy appetizer for parties and entertaining! For best results, chill the prepared cheese ball in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
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    Author: Michelle Weiner
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: holiday, party recipe
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Chill Time: 1 hour
    Makes: 12 servings

    Equipment

    bowls
    hand mixer
    parchment paper

    Ingredients

    • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • 8 ounces blue cheese, room temperature
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 5 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided
    • 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ¾ cup walnut or almond halves

    Instructions

    • Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
    • Crumble blue cheese into bowl and add, sour cream, 3 tablespoons parsley, green onions, lemon juice, and pepper. Mix together on low speed until uniform.
    • Form cheese mixture into a ball and wrap tightly in parchment paper. Chill for at least 1 hour.
    • While the cheese mixture is chilling, toast the nuts. Bake at 350 degrees on a baking sheet until browned, about 10 minutes.
    • Once nuts have cooled, roughly chop them and mix with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
    • Unwrap the ball, reshape if desired, and roll in the chopped nuts and parsley until evenly coated.
    • Serve at room temp with your favorite crackers!
    Did you make this recipe?Share a pic and tag @cupofzest and use #cupofzest so I can see it!

    Notes

    • This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 1mg
    « Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Honey & Garlic
    Ham and Cheese Cheese Ball (Easy Party Recipe) »

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    Hi, I'm Michelle and welcome to the party!

    After of working in the culinary world for over 10 years, I'm sharing the skills I've learned with you here at Cup of Zest. I'm here to help you invite your friends over more and stress less when cooking for them. Glad you're part of the crew!

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