This Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe is fun, festive and tasty appetizer. It looks fancy, but this simple Ranch Cheeseball base comes together and gets it's pumpkin shape with an easy trick using string. With cream cheese, cheddar cheese and homemade ranch seasoning, you can't go wrong with this fall treat that tastes even better than it looks.
Also, try my Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip & Savory Pumpkin Hummus
Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe
This Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe is a crowd-pleasing, adorable addition to any fall party including Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even a harvest party. My Ranch Cheese Ball looks like a fussy thing to make, but it's actually surprisingly simple with just five main ingredients, plus whatever dippers you can serve it with. This is no ordinary cheese ball.
This savory treat doesn't taste like pumpkin, but the pumpkin shape is sure to bring some smiles to any party. It's actually made with a delightful blend of cream cheeses, cheddar cheese, and either Homemade Ranch Seasoning or your favorite pre-made ranch seasoning mix. The top is actually a bell pepper stem! So don't expect pumpkin spice here, but you really can't go wrong with the combination of savory, cheesy ranch plus cream cheese and crunchy crackers. It's all made more fun with the adorable orange coating and pumpkin shape.
Never made a homemade cheese ball before? Never fear, it's actually easier than it looks and I have a step-by-step instructions guide below to put this together.
This fall recipe is just downright fun and elevates any menu a bit. Isn't the cutest cheese ball you've ever seen?
Pumpkin Cheese Ball - fun & festive! Share on X
Why You'll Love this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe...
- You'll love this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe because it's made with easy-to-find ingredients like cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and ranch seasoning.
- It's a total crowd-pleaser! Who doesn't love cheese?
- It's a fun way to incorporate a pumpkin theme with a savory flavor. No pumpkin spice here!
- The Ranch Cheese Ball base is SO good. Everyone will love it including kids.
- It's simple and fun to make using just a few strings to get the pumpkin shape.
- You can do this the day before for a party.
- Wouldn't it be perfect for Halloween or Thanksgiving?!
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Bell Pepper: You'll need one nice bell pepper with a pretty curved stem to make the top of the pumpkin stem. To prep the bell pepper, cut out the stem with a sharp knife and then cut any excess off of the bottom. You'll also want to finely dice 2 tablespoons of the bell pepper for the cheese ball. Slice the rest of the pepper into strips to use for dipping.
- Plain Cream Cheese: The base of the Pumpkin Cheese Ball is regular cream cheese. I like to use the brick kind. You can use reduced fat or regular, depending on your dietary preferences. You'll need to pull it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you are mixing the recipe, so it is a bit softened.
- Vegetable Cream Cheese: Instead of just using plain cream cheese, I like to mix in some Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese that has cucumbers, red bell peppers, and carrots in the mix for even more flavor into the cheese ball. If you don't like it you could substitute Garlic Herb Cream Cheese, Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, or even Jalapeno Cream Cheese if you like a kick in your cheese.
- Ranch Seasoning: I love using my Homemade Ranch Seasoning in this recipe with a blend of parsley, chives, onion, and garlic. You can also use your favorite packaged Ranch Seasoning.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: A nice sharp cheddar cheese adds some richness and an orange color to the outside of the pumpkin. Half of the two cups this recipe calls for goes inside the cheese ball and the rest goes on the top of the ball to get the orange color.
Dippers:
Serve this Pumpkin Cheese Ball with any of these fun dippers.
- Crackers - Ritz, Triscuit, Pita Crackers
- Veggies - Carrot Sticks, Bell Pepper Slices, Cucumber Slices
- Tortilla Chips
- Pita Bread
- Pretzels
- Bagel Chips
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
To Make the Cheese Ball Mixture:
- First, prep the bell pepper by carefully removing the stem from the bell pepper as shown and set it aside for decorating the pumpkin. Dice 2 tablespoons of the bell pepper for the recipe and cut the rest for cheese ball dippers.
- In a medium bowl or a stand mixer, put the softened cream cheese, vegetable cream cheese, ranch seasoning, diced bell pepper, and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. You don't need to add any salt. You can mix this by hand, but it's a lot easier with a mixer. You could also use a hand mixer or food processor.
- Mix the cheese mixture until well combined. Once mixed, push it down with a spatula on the sides of the bowl so a ball starts forming as shown in the second photo below.
How to Form the Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese Ball:
- Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Sprinkle most of the remaining cheddar cheese onto it.
- Using your hands, form the cheese into a ball that resembles a pumpkin. Set the cream cheese mixture ball onto the cheese on the plastic wrap. Carefully push the cheddar cheese into the ball.
- Fold the plastic wrap around the cheeseball, making sure the orange sharp cheddar cheese coats the ball as much as possible. You might need to sprinkle some cheese around the sides and top. It takes a bit of finesse to get it covered.
- Using 4 pieces of yarn or kitchen twine, wrap the yarn around the ball one at a time. Pull it tight to make indentions. Tightly tie the strings one at a time until you do all four, getting the 8 pumpkin ribs or vertical grooves. You can also do this with rubber bands.
- Put the wrapped cheese ball into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, but up to overnight. It will be loose and will need to firm up.
- When ready to serve, carefully remove the yarn and the plastic wrap. Top with the bell pepper stem, using a small amount of cream cheese to make it stick.
- Serve with crackers or your favorite dippers.
Variations
I love this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Mix Up the Seasoning: You can swap out the ranch flavoring of this cheese ball with other spices like my Italian Spice Mix, Taco Seasoning Mix, or even Cajun Spice Mix. You could even add garlic powder.
- Make it Low Fat: Use your favorite brand of low-fat cheese to light this up.
- Mix Up the Cheese: You can swap out other cheese for the cheddar including Colby or mozzarella. You'll just need to keep an orange cheese for the exterior of the pumpkin to keep the orange color.
- Fun Mix-Ins: You can also add other fun mix-ins to the actual cheese ball like bacon, olives, scallions, diced onion, pimentos, chives, or even garlic.
- Make it Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or even Jalapeño.
- Make it Mini Pumpkins: It's a bit tedious, but you can make adorable mini pumpkin cheese balls by dividing the cheese mixture into small balls and following the same instructions. Just use shorter pieces of twine to get the shape.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Make Ahead
You can make this a day ahead of time, just assemble the stem and toppings right before serving.
Freezing
Yes, You can freeze a completely made cheese ball without the stem topping. Wrap it in foil and freeze for up to three months.
What is the best cheese for a cheese ball?
Cream cheese is the perfect base for a cheese ball because it's easy to shape and form into a ball and eventually a pumpkin. I like to add other shredded cheese to the mix to really turn up the flavor.
How to you firm up a cheese ball?
Is your cheese ball not forming into a ball? It just got to melty. Put it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up, and then you should be able to gently roll it.
How long does a cheese ball last in the fridge?
A homemade cheese ball lasts about three days in the fridge.
What kind of crackers do you use for cheese balls?
You can use your favorite type BUT the classic combination for cheese balls is buttery Ritz Crackers.
This Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe is Tasty & Fun
This Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe is so tasty and fun. I love how it's a great savory addition to the holiday table but still adds to a pumpkin theme for a Thanksgiving or Halloween party. If you are looking for a show-stopping addition to your holiday menu this year, add this tasty one for sure! Plus, who can go wrong with cheese? I just love this adorable pumpkin.
I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did!
Pumpkin Cheese Ball - fun & festive! Share on X
More Fall Appetizers to Try:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
- Pomegranate Pistachio Goat Cheese Crostini
- Savory Pumpkin Hummus
- Mini Pimento Cheese Bites
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Bell Pepper
- Everything Bagel Cucumber Bites
- Stuffed Celery
- Healthy Smoked Salmon Dip
If you make this Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper with stem
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces vegetable cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Carefully remove the stem from the bell pepper as shown and set it aside for decorating the pumpkin. Dice 2 tablespoons of the bell pepper for the recipe and cut the rest for cheese ball dippers.
- In a medium bowl, or a stand mixer, put the softened cream cheese, vegetable cream cheese, ranch seasoning, diced bell pepper, and 1 cup of the sharp cheddar cheese.
- Mix until well combined. Push the cheese mixture down the sides of the bowl so a ball starts forming.
- Lay out flat a large piece or plastic wrap. Sprinkle most of the remaining cheddar cheese onto it.
- Using your hands, form the cheese into a ball that resembles a pumpkin. Set the ball onto the cheese on the plastic wrap. Carefully push the cheddar cheese into the ball.
- Fold the plastic wrap around the cheeseball, making sure the orange sharp cheddar cheese coats the ball as much as possible. Using 4 pieces of yarn or twine, wrap the yarn around the ball to make indentions.
- Put the ball into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, but up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, carefully remove the yarn and the plastic wrap. Top with the bell pepper stem, using a small amount of cream cheese to make it stick.
- Serve with crackers or your favorite dippers.
Nutrition
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mandy says
I appreciate this tutorial to get my cheeseball into pumpkin shapes. The kids loved it!