Mini Cheese Balls

Tools Used: Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl, Heat Resistant Spatula, Santoku Chef Knife, Eco Chop, Perforated Baking Sheet, Bonmat

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

• 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

• 3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 cups pecans

Directions

• In the Stainless Mixing Bowl, beat together the cream cheese, blue cheese, and dried cranberries until smooth.

• Dampen hands to prevent sticking and form cream cheese mixture into approximately 24 tablespoon-sized balls.

• Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or until firm.

• Place a Bonmat on a Perforated Baking Sheet and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Place pecans on the Bonmat and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, for 7 to 10 minutes.

• Allow pecans to cool and finely chop them in the Eco Chop.

• Roll chilled cheese balls in chopped pecans, pressing nuts so that they adhere.

• Keep cheese balls refrigerated until ready to serve.

• Just before serving, place a pretzel stick in each cheese ball.

* I made these fun mini cheese balls for a baby shower. Aren't all things fun when they are mini size? They are great for entertaining and you can customize them with different nuts. Or use a premade cheeseball, divide, and then roll in nuts of your choice.

** You can make the cheese balls ahead of time, but wait to insert the pretzels until just before serving or they will become soggy.

Download the recipe here.