Description
Celebrate the holidays with this festive Christmas Tree Cheese Ball, a delightful and easy-to-make appetizer featuring a blend of creamy cheeses and a vibrant vegetable garnish arranged to resemble a decorated Christmas tree.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 x 8 ounce (225g) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ each yellow and red bell peppers, diced
- 1 tablespoon pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
- Thick slice of cheese for star topper (cheddar recommended)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese until smooth and well combined with no lumps. Then add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Beat again until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Transfer the cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it tightly and shape the mixture into a cone or Christmas tree shape, pressing gently to smooth out the surface. Refrigerate this shaped cheese ball for at least 2 to 3 hours, or preferably overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the cheese to firm up for easy decorating.
- Remove the chilled cheese cone from the refrigerator and place it onto a serving plate. Lightly press some of the extra chopped parsley onto the surface to resemble pine needles. Dot pine nuts around the tree to create a string light effect. Then decorate the tree further by pressing diced yellow and red bell peppers and roughly chopped pistachios into the cheese to simulate Christmas baubles or ornaments.
- Use the remaining parsley to fill in any visible gaps for a lush appearance. Cut a star shape from a thick slice of cheese using a small cookie cutter. Secure the star to the top of the tree with a toothpick. This adds a festive and charming finishing touch.
- Present your Christmas Tree Cheese Ball with an assortment of crackers, slices of bread, or sturdy chips for dipping and spreading. Encourage guests to enjoy this creamy, flavorful holiday centerpiece appetizer.
Notes
- Best served chilled.
- Can be made a day in advance.
- Customize decorations with your favorite vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg