Mini Cheese Balls

Mini Cheese Balls

If cheese balls are the hit of the party, mini cheese balls are an even bigger hit. Do you know why they're better? Coatings. Yep, when it comes to cheese balls, I like equal parts coating and cheese, but with a big cheese ball, you can't get that. Once that outer crunchiness and extra pop of flavor is gone, it's all cheese. These minis solve that problem and they're cute to boot!

Oh, yes you can. Bacon coated mini cheese balls.

These are perfect for a holiday cheese and cracker plate and my kids also like these for after school snacks. They each like different coatings, so I mix it up for them. Use your imagination and see how many coatings you can come up with.

Mini Cheese Balls

Mini Cheese Balls

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 36 cheese balls

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon paprika (I like smoked paprika for this)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped nuts, small seeds, chopped herbs, crumbled cooked bacon, etc. optional

Directions:

1. Soften cream cheese at room temperature.
2. Blend with shredded cheese and seasonings until well combined.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, covered, until firm enough to roll.
4. Roll into 36 balls (about 1-inch in diameter) and roll each ball in chopped nuts, seeds, herbs or bacon if desired.