Yield: 2 Large Cheese Balls
Pine Cone Cheese Ball Recipe
This seasonal Pine Cone Cheese Ball is made with cream cheese, Gruyere, bacon, and ranch for a zesty and bold flavor. Whole almonds, fresh herbs, and a touch of scarlet make it a Christmas-worthy treat.
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere or smoked Gouda cheese
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 oz package ranch dressing mix
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup cooked bacon, diced
- 1 ½ cups whole almonds
Optional Decorations:
- 6-8 fresh sprigs rosemary and thyme
- Cranberries
- Fake berries
- Red ribbon
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Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese, gruyere cheese, mayonnaise, ranch dressing and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well till combine, then add the bacon and fold to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Divide the cheese ball mixture into two pieces and form each half into a pine cone shape (about 4 inches long). One end is then shaped into a thinner rounded point. Place on a large plate, tops nearly touching and the bottom ends angled out.
- Begin at the bottom point and start adding the almonds, pointed side out. Keep the almonds at an angle pointing toward the pointed end. Randomly place the almonds around until you get to the other end then press them flat into the top. (Check the step by step photos for guidance.)
- Add the sprigs of rosemary and thyme between the pinecones (feel free to decorate any way you want.) Add the berries and a ribbon if desired.
- Serve immediately with crackers or toast, or wrap cheese balls with saran warp and store in the fridge.
Notes
- Storage: Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Cream Cheese: Go with full-fat cream cheese in this recipe. Low-fat cream cheese won’t keep its shape as well. The fat in the cream cheese firms up in your fridge, making the cheese ball firmer. If there’s not enough fat in the recipe, you will end up with more of a runny dip consistency.
- Seasoning Mix: For a different spin, you can replace the ranch seasoning mix with onion soup mix instead.
- Greenery: I love rosemary and thyme sprigs to decorate the pine cones, but you can use any type of non-toxic greenery, even faux sprigs of greenery.
- Something Crimson: Cranberries, faux holly berries, red ribbon - use whatever you like to add a little touch of red. It really adds a pretty touch to the green, white, and brown of the pine cones and greenery.
- Sugared Cranberries: Sugared cranberries are also a beautiful way to decorate this dish, and they’re super easy to make. Just wash and dry a cup of cranberries. Next, combine ¼ cup water and ¼ cup sugar together in a saucepan, and boil for 3 minutes. Add the cranberries to the saucepan, remove from the heat, and stir for 1 minute. Then take the cranberries out of the saucepan and let them dry for an hour (I put mine on parchment so they don’t stick). Finally, roll the cranberries in sugar to coat.
- Shaping the Pinecones: To shape the pinecones, make sure the dip is very cold so it is firm and can be molded. If the cheese mixture is too soft, it won’t be very easy to work with! You can use your hands or a spatula to form the pinecones.
Nutrition
Serving: 1, Calories: 113kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 231mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g