How to Make a Blue Cheese Cheese Ball

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.

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.

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:

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.

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:

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.

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.

Recipe