I love a good cheese ball.
My grandma and my mom always made a bleu cheese ball for Christmas – and we even still have my grandma’s handwritten recipe card for her bleu cheese ball.
It was always a classic appetizer that we knew would be out for Christmas 🙂
Cheese balls and cheese logs are great appetizer options for holidays or Superbowl parties or any gathering. You can really customize a cheese ball to fit your tastes and that’s one of the great things about cheese balls!
This recipe is one of our family favorites for parties 😉
This cheese log here is full of vibrant flavors – cranberries, green onions, bacon, sharp cheddar cheese. I wanted to make one with a sweet ‘fruity’ twist to it but I wanted it to have the smokiness of the bacon too. I think it turned out really great!
*Tip for rolling your log – I rolled my cheese log using parchment paper. After you’ve mixed everything up, scoop the mixture out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Then using the paper almost like a glove, gently shape the cheese mixture into a log (or ball). When it comes time to roll it in the nuts, you can easily lift it up off of the parchment paper and onto the plate of nuts.
*Tip for rolling it in the nuts – I spread the nuts evenly on a plate and set the log onto the nuts. Then I gently rolled it in the nuts. After I rolled it, I found any bare or uneven spots and pressed the leftover nuts into those spots. Easy peasy 😉
Cranberry Bacon Cheese Log
Cream cheese, bacon, cranberries, sharp cheddar, and green onions come together in this delicious cheese log rolled in pecans that is a perfect appetizer for the holidays or parties.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cream cheese (1 1/2 blocks), softened
- heaping 1/4 cup chopped bacon
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in all other ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll into a log using parchment paper.
- Chop pecans and cranberries together.
- Roll log in chopped nuts and berries.
- Chill for at least two hours or overnight.
- Serve with crackers.
. : PIN ME FOR LATER : .
If you’re looking for a fun drink for your get-together or party, try out this recipe for Italian Cream Sodas.
