Description
This festive Christmas Tree Cheeseball is a delightful and visually stunning appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. Creamy cream cheese blended with sharp cheddar, green onions, and pimientos is shaped into a Christmas tree, then garnished with colorful cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley, sliced almonds, and a bright yellow pepper star, served alongside an assortment of crackers and pretzels. It’s an easy, no-cook party favorite that adds charm and flavor to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeseball Mixture
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garnish
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped and cut into a star shape
- Assorted crackers and pretzels
Instructions
- Mix Cream Cheese and Cheddar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the finely shredded cheddar cheese, ensuring the mixture is well combined and evenly creamy.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the chopped green onions, drained diced pimientos, melted unsalted butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated into a consistent cheese mixture.
- Chill the Mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour. This helps the flavor meld and firms up the mixture for shaping.
- Shape into a Christmas Tree: Remove the chilled cheese mixture from the refrigerator and place it onto a serving plate. Shape the mixture carefully into the form of a Christmas tree, pressing firmly to hold the shape.
- Garnish the Tree: Decorate the cheese tree by first pressing the halved cherry tomatoes evenly across the surface to mimic ornaments. Sprinkle the finely chopped fresh parsley across the tree to resemble pine needles. Add sliced almonds for texture and additional decoration, and top the tree with a yellow pepper piece cut into a star shape to mimic a tree topper.
- Serve: Arrange assorted crackers and pretzels around the cheeseball on the serving platter. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Chilling the mixture is key to maintaining the shape when forming the cheeseball.
- Feel free to customize garnishes with other colorful vegetables or nuts to suit your holiday theme.
- This cheeseball can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated, just garnish before serving.
- Serve with a variety of crackers and pretzels for different textures and flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th of cheeseball with crackers
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
