This Turkey Cheese Ball is so easy and fun to make, everyone will love it! Not only is shaped like a turkey but it’s tasty too!
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share one of my favorite appetizers! This Turkey Cheese Ball is always so fun to bring to dinner!
Kids and adults love it! If you like this make sure to check out my smoked cream cheese, cream cheese green beans and maybe these tasty pecan pie brownies!
What you need:
- Diary: Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese
- Seasoning: Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper
- Green Onions
- Pecans
- Decorations: Meat Stick, Pretzel Rod, Candy Eyes, Oreo, Candy Corn, Candy Melt
- Crackers for dipping!
A turkey cheese ball for Thanksgiving is a must have for every year now. It’s so simple and so cute!
Make sure to check out my favorite baked brie, jalapeno or smoked deviled eggs, and hot spinach artichoke dip to serve alongside this fun Turkey Cheese Ball!
How to make a Cheese Ball?
- Chop and toast Pecans, then set aside
- In a bowl combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. It helps to use a stand or hand mixer!
- Place cream cheese mixture on a piece of saran wrap, then roll into a ball.
- Refrigerate until a bit firmer.
How to make a Turkey Shaped Cheese Ball?
- Once you have your cheese ball shaped and chilled, remove the plastic wrap and roll in chopped nuts.
- Make the neck and face of the turkey by melting the candy melts and affixing the eyes and nose to the head, and then the head to the neck.
- Place pretzel rods of varying lengths into the cheeseball in a fan shape and then place the neck with the head onto the cheeseball.
Do you have to toast the pecans?
No, but I love the extra flavor toasting nuts adds. It’s up to you whether you want to or not!
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Cheese balls are really easy to make and really easy to switch up.
Cheese Ball Variations
- Ranch Cheese Ball: Add ranch dip mix to the cream cheese.
- Dried Beef: Add some dried beef to the cream cheese mixture for a different flavor!
- Worcestershire Sauce: Add 1-2 tsps to the cream cheese for a delicious flavor profile.
- Cranberries: Add some cranberries to the pecans to coat the outside for a little sweetness
- Everything Bagel: Instead of Pecans roll the cream cheese ball in everything bagel seasoning
- Bacon: Add bacon to the cream cheese and to the nuts to roll it in.
What to serve with a cheeseball?
Cheeseballs are typically served with your favorite crackers but there are so many other options to try!
- Pretzels or Pretzel Crisps
- Pita Chips
- Veggies
- Toasted Bread like Bagels or Baguette pieces
- Salami or Prosciutto
How long will cheese balls last?
A cheese ball will last up to 5 days, stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Can cheese balls be frozen?
If you want to make this appetizer a head of time you can freeze it for up to a month a head of time.
Mix up the cream cheese and shape into a ball. Freeze before you roll in the pecans.
Before serving, allow the cheese ball to thaw for at least 24 hrs. in the refrigerator, then roll in pecans and decorate to look like a turkey.
For more super cute edible Thanksgiving decorations, check out these Candy Corn on The Cobs! You will love them!
Video
Turkey Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup pecan pieces roughly chopped*
- 2 candy eyes
- 1 meat stick like a slim Jim, for the neck
- Pretzel Rods for the tail
- 1 Oreo for the head
- 1 piece of candy corn for the beak
- 2-3 pieces of candy melt or royal icing for adhering the eyes and beak
- Crackers for eating with the cheese ball
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Coarsely chop your pecans and place on the prepared baking sheet. Toast the pecans in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. They should be fragrant but not burned. Once toasted set aside. *1 cup pecan pieces
- In a large bowl (or a kitchen aid mixer bowl), combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese garlic powder, green onions, salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until fully combined.16 oz cream cheese, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ cup green onions, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Layout a sheet of plastic wrap and place cream cheese mixture in the center. Fold the plastic wrap up over the cheese mixture and form into a ball. Place ball still in the plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the mixture starts to firm.
- While ball is chilling, melt your candy melts. I recommend taking 2-3 candy melt wafers and microwaving for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir and repeat until melted. Then dab a little on the back of each eye and the candy corn and place on the Oreo. Then place a little on the meat stick and affix the Oreo to it. Set aside until hardened.2 candy eyes, 1 meat stick, 1 Oreo, 1 piece of candy corn, 2-3 pieces of candy melt or royal icing
- Roll ball in chopped pecans and set on plat or tray you will serve it on. Add pretzel rods as feather. I recommend breaking rods in half and layering taller and shorter ones together. Then place your meat stick with the head attached in the cheese ball as the neck. My meat stick was a little long so I tore a bit off the end to make it shorter.Pretzel Rods for the tail
- Serve with crackers and enjoy!Crackers
Notes
- *If you don’t have time or just don’t want to use toasted pecans than you can use regular untoasted pecans!
- Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an air tight container (like a zip lock baggie) for 3-5 days.
- Make Ahead: You can save time by making the cheese ball the day before but wait to roll it in the pecans and decorate it until you are ready to serve.
- Nutritional Info is an estimate and doesn't include the pretzels, meat stick, eyes, nose, face, candy melts, or crackers
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