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Pumpkin cheese ball on plate surrounded by crackers.
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Pumpkin Cheese Ball

This festive pumpkin cheese ball is a savory blend of cream cheese, cheddar, and bacon, shaped into a pumpkin for the perfect Halloween or Thanksgiving appetizer.
Prep Time10 minutes
Chill Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 170kcal
Author: Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces block cream cheese softened (do not use fat-free, the full fat helps hold the ball together)
  • 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 strips crispy bacon crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese powder
  • 1 top of a bell pepper just the stem
  • Crackers pretzels, bread, and other dipping snacks

Instructions

  • Make the cheese mixture. In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, onion powder, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
    Mix until creamy and smooth, but it should have a firm dough texture and be moldable. If it isn’t, the cream cheese has gotten too warm and soft, so put the bowl in your refrigerator, covered, for about 10 minutes or until it has become moldable.
    Cream cheese, bacon, cheese, and spices in mixing bowl.
  • Mold the ball. On a nonstick surface like a cutting board or parchment paper, roll and mold your cheese into a ball. Press the ball on the flat surface slightly to give it a flat bottom and slightly flattened top.
    Cheese ball shaped in to a ball, sitting on a wooden cutting board.
  • Make the ridges of the pumpkin. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap tightly. Using baking twine or rubber bands, tie 4 pieces of string around the ball evenly. Pull the string tight to create vertical line indents in the ball. Refrigerate overnight (6-8 hours) for at least 4 hours.
    Cheese ball wrapped in plastic wrap and baking twine to create ridges.
  • Cover in cheese powder. Unwrap the ball and cut the string to reveal a pumpkin shape, and cover it in the cheese powder. Shake off the excess powder and place the pepper stem on top of the pumpkin. Serve chilled with crackers or other dippers.
    Cheeseball in bowl, sitting in cheddar cheese powder.

Notes

Store leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as thawing will ruin the texture and make the coating soggy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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