Mini Cheese Balls
The cheese ball is a retro party dish that deserves a comeback, and making them individually — as bite-sized spheres rather than one large ball — solves its main problem: nobody wants to be the first person to smash into a big ball of cheese. Mini cheese balls are neat, portable and easy to pick up.
The formula
- Base — cream cheese, softened, for richness and binding
- Flavour cheese — grated Cheddar, blue, goat’s cheese or a mix
- Seasoning — Worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce, herbs
- Coating — chopped nuts, herbs, seeds, or crushed crisps
Ingredients (makes about 24)
- 200 g cream cheese, softened
- 150 g grated Cheddar, Gruyère or a mix
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- A dash of hot sauce (optional)
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- Salt, pepper
- Coating: 100 g toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, plus chopped parsley
Method
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then stir in the grated cheese, Worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce, spring onions and seasoning.
- Chill the mixture for 30 minutes — cold mixture is much easier to roll.
- Roll into small balls, about the size of a walnut.
- Roll each ball in the nut-and-herb coating, pressing gently so it sticks.
- Chill again for at least an hour, or until needed.
Make-ahead and freezing
These are ideal make-ahead party food. Roll and coat them up to two days ahead and keep refrigerated, or freeze uncoated balls for up to a month, then coat after thawing. Bring to room temperature for ten minutes before serving.
Coating ideas
- Toasted pecans or walnuts with parsley
- Smoked paprika and crushed crisps
- Everything-bagel seasoning
- Fresh chives with cracked black pepper
These are a natural fit for a cheese board or a budget party spread.
