Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Close up of a cheeseball that looks like a Jack-o-lantern.

Easy pumpkin cheese ball recipe looks like a pumpkin but has a spicy ranch and sharp Cheddar flavor. Make a Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween or leave plain for Thanksgiving - it's always a big hit at parties!

Course Appetizer, Appetizer/Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Chill 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

Calories 189kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1 cup Cheddar shredded
2 tablespoons spicy ranch dressing seasoning
⅓ cup bell pepper finely chopped
⅓ cup green onions sliced
1-½ cups cheese puffs I used spicy cheese puffs but Cheetos or any of the other ones will work
1 cup cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Step one

Let two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese come to room temperature.
Grind the cheese puffs to a powder in the blender.
Set aside.

Step two

Add the room temperature cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes until the cream cheese is smooth.
Add the spicy Ranch seasoning, the shredded cheese, the bell pepper, and the green onion and beat until well mixed and the ingredients are distributed through out the cream cheese mixture.

Step three

Place a double layer of plastic wrap on the counter.
Add a layer of the ground up Cheetos.
Spoon the cheese mixture into the middle of the Cheetos and use the plastic wrap to help shape it into a ball.
Add more of the Cheeto crumbs and continue to shape the mixture into a ball.
Continue adding crumbs and shaping with the plastic wrap until the cheese is covered with the Cheeto crumbs and is in a ball shape.
Bring the plastic wrap up tightly around the cheese ball and press it together to seal.
Add another layer of plastic wrap tightly around the cheese ball.
Use doubled rubber bands to create the indentations that make the "pumpkin" shape.
Chill overnight.

Step four

Before serving cut the rubber bands off carefully.
Use the bell pepper stem as the stem end of the pumpkin.
Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Use ripe black olives cut into triangles and attached with toothpicks to make eyes and mouth if you'd like it to look like a Jack-o'-lantern.
Serve with chips, crackers, and/or crudites.

Notes

Storage:

Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap (or put it in an airtight container) and store it in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.

Expert Tip:

The crumb coating will start to disappear when it's in the refrigerator. Keep enough cheese puffs on hand to add more crumbs to the outside before serving.
Make sure everything is at room temperature before mixing.
For best results use regular cream cheese not whipped, low fat, or fat-free.
Cut the green pepper top in sort of a wedge shape to make the pumpkin stem. It will fit into the "pumpkin" better that way.
If you don't want to use rubber bands you can use kitchen twine as well.
Cut the rubber bands off rather than pulling them off.

Nutrition