Turkey Cheese Ball
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!
Servings 16
Calories 183kcal
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
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- *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
Nutrition
Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 494IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 0.3mg