This Rudolph cheeseball and snack board is the perfect appetizer for your holiday entertaining. If you are hosting a gathering or need an appetizer for a potluck, try this recipe out. Learn how easy it is to make a Christmas cheeseball made with cream cheese, ranch, green onions, cheddar cheese, and more. The perfect Holiday Charcuterie board.
Now you can make just the cheeseball or you can do the snack board as well. The choice is yours! The pairing of the two makes it an incredible snacking tray that will wow your family and friends.
Want more tasty appetizers to serve up? Here are a few more Christmas-approved apps to whip up. Try my Italian Antipasto squares, baked meatballs, or even this bacon jam!
Reasons You Will Love This Appetizer
- This is the perfect holiday cheese ball that is great for a crowd.
- A fun Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer-themed cheese ball!
- You will find making a homemade cheeseball is pretty easy to make, and will win over a crowd.
- Make ahead-friendly if you want to prep ahead of time before your event.
- This Christmas charcuterie board and cheeseball serves a large crowd, so great for parties!
Ingredients Needed
For the cheeseball:
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Ranch seasoning
- Green onions
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped pecans
- Black olives
- Cherry tomato
- Pretzel twists
- Optional cranberries or diced olives for the mouth
For the snack board:
- Cheese
- Crackers and pretzels
- Petite snacking pickles
- Olives
- Dried fruit
- Variety of nuts
- Fresh fruit or veggies
- Jams
Tips for Making
Softened Cream Cheese
Make sure to start with softened cream cheese. This is important as it needs to be softened as it can cream together the ingredients easily.
Roll In Fine Nuts
Make sure to take your cheeseball and roll it in the nuts trying to pack the nuts on all sides of the cheese ball. The biggest thing I would recommend is making sure the nuts are finely chopped.
Plastic Wrap to Shape Cheese Ball
Wrapping your cheeseball with plastic wrap is going to help you get that round-shaped ball. Otherwise, you will find the mixture is very sticky to your hands and you will struggle to get that perfectly round cheeseball.
Customize Cheese Ball
Feel Free to customize your cheeseball with ingredients that you like and fit your taste buds. Swap out the nuts, leave out the green onions, and reach for a dairy-free cheese substitute. Feel free to customize as you need.
Right Size Platter
Make sure that if you are making a charcuterie board you reach a board or platter that is large enough to accommodate the ingredients you are going to assemble on your tray.
Variety of Meats, Cheese, Etc.
You are more than welcome to add a variety of items to the board. A variety of meats, veggies, cheese, fruits, nuts, etc. Having a mix of items is going to create dimension to the board and offer a nice amount of items for grazing.
Condiments, Spreads, Dips
Another thing is to be open to condiments for dipping, spreads, and dips. You will find the cheese ball is a great option for dipping crackers, crisp veggies, and such.
Place Cheese Ball On Board First
Start by placing the cheese ball on the board first, and then work at shaping items around the cheeseball. That way you have a balance of flavors, and textures in all areas of the board.
Label Ingredients
If you have guests with dietary needs consider making labels for items. This will help to ensure that no one eats something they shouldn’t.
Storing
You can store any of the items you do not eat right away, simply store them in a sealed container in the fridge. Or if you want to keep your board assembled then just cover it well and store it in the fridge.
Feel free to store the items for a few days in the fridge. Depending on the food item it will vary of when the items spoil so use your judgment.
FAQs
Can I make a larger or smaller version of the cheese ball?
You can make your cheeseball as large or small as you would like. Feel free to adjust the size as you would like. If you make a smaller size just reach for appropriate sized items for decorating.
Can I use something other than pretzels for antlers?
Crackers or even fresh herbs like rosemary would be a great substitute compared to the pretzel antlers. Feel free to play around with items to find something that you prefer.
How do I arrange the items on the board?
Place the larger items on the board, and then add bowls and such on the board. Then you will begin to add rolled meats, fruits, veggies, etc. You will add little bunches of each item around the board. Use smaller items like nuts to fill in gaps.
What should I serve alongside a charcuterie board?
Feel free to pair it with wine, cocktails, or even non-alcoholic drinks for guests to enjoy as they are snacking on the charcuterie board.
More Holiday Recipe Ideas
Rudolph Cheeseball
Ingredients
For the cheeseball:
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 packet Ranch seasoning
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- Black olives for the eyes
- A cherry tomato for the nose
- Pretzel twists for the ears
- Optional cranberries or diced olives for the mouth
For the snack board:
- Sliced and cubed cheese
- Variety of crackers and pretzels
- Petite snacking pickles
- Olives
- Dried fruit such as cranberries raisins, or apricots
- Variety of nuts and seeds such as cashews pecans, and pumpkin seeds
- Fresh fruit or veggies such as red or green grapes apple slices or berries
- Jams for spreading on crackers
Instructions
Cheeseball Assembly
- Start by adding the cream cheese, mayo, ranch in a bowl and mix until well comebined.
- Fold in the green onions and cheese.
- Form a ball and use plastic wrap to shape into a ball. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or until firm.
- Once ready to serve roll the cheeseball in the chopped nuts when you are ready to serve.
Snack Board
- Place the cheeseball in the center of the serving tray.
- Arrange larger items like crackers, or bowls of dip around the board.
- Then fill with the fruit, veggies, cheese, and fill in smaller areas with nuts, dried fruit, etc.
- Serve and enjoy.
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