Pumpkin Cheese Ball

A pumpkin cheese ball with a pickle for a stem, and leaves.

4.9 from 8 votes

Yield: 1 Cheese Ball (for a party)

This pumpkin cheese ball is a super cute appetizer made for any fall-themed get-together! The crushed Doritos on the exterior add a crunchy, cheesy twist.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cups shredded smoked cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup sour cream
1 (1.1 oz) fiesta ranch packet
4 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped
Plastic Wrap
3 large rubber bands
2 cups Doritos, crushed
1 baby pickle and 2 leaves - garnish

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Instructions

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined. Add the fiesta ranch packet and continue beating till combined. Fold in the shredded cheese and bacon.
Roll out a large sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Empty your cheese ball mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap.
Pull the edge of the plastic wrap together around the pile of cheese ball mixture. Bring up all sides of the plastic wrap and at the top twist together tightly around the cheese ball.
Place one rubber band around the middle of the cheese ball. Then place another rubber band a third of the way around the ball and place the third rubber band around the middle opposite the first rubber band. This will shape the ball into the pumpkin or jack-o-lantern shape. It doesn’t need to be perfect - that’s the beauty of it!
Place the ball with the rubber bands into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up and hold its’ shape.
When ready to serve, remove the rubber bands and plastic wrap. Place the crushed Doritos in a shallow bowl and roll and press the pumpkin cheese ball into the Doritos, till completely coated.
Cut the baby pickle in half and insert one half into the top as the stem of the pumpkin. Place the leaves next to the stem.
Jack-o-lantern Decor: Cut and decorate the eyes and toothy grin with black olives, as desired.
Serve cheeseball with chips and/or crackers.

Notes

Use Two Layers of Plastic Wrap: If you want to make extra-sure that the plastic wrap will hold the cheese mixture while placing the rubber bands, use two layers of it.

If You Don't Have Rubber Bands: String will also work here when shaping the pumpkin. Just tie 3-4 circles of string around your cheese ball to achieve the same effect. This method is a little more cumbersome, but it does work.

Let the Cheese Ball Chill: One hour is good, but overnight is even better. You want the pumpkin to settle into its shape, and the extra time also gives the flavors time to mingle.

Jack-O-Lantern Decor: Decorate your pumpkin cheese ball with eyes and a toothy grin (using chopped black olives), if desired.

Get Creative: Your creative flair can easily be showcased in this themed cheese ball. Here are some ideas for the stem, mouth, and eyes of the Jack O Lantern. The stem of a jalapeño or bell pepper makes a great pumpkin stem, as does a piece of celery, or a petite dill pickle. The leaves can be from a bag of spring salad mix, fresh basil, or parsley. Other optional stem ideas include: a green bean, a green pepper slice, or a green onion. The eyes and mouth can be cut to shape using black olives, blue corn chips, or black beans.

Cream Cheese Note: Room temperature cream cheese will help with the ease of the preparation for this recipe.

Storage: Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container or sealed with cling wrap for up to 7 days. You can also freeze the cheeseball for up to 3 months. For freshness and storage purposes, do not coat in Doritos until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 335kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 539mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g