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Cheese Balls Three Ways

Make all three flavored balls, or prepare just one or two, adjusting the ingredients accordingly.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes three 4-inch cheese balls

Ingredients

Base Recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Cheddar and Cranberry

8 ounces sharp orange Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 tablespoons store-bought chutney
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
Water crackers, for serving

Roquefort and Walnut

6 ounces Roquefort cheese
1 shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Vegetable chips (such as Terra Chips Sweets and Beets), for serving

Goat Cheese and Scallions

8 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley
1 English cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Divide equally among 3 medium bowls.

    Step 2

    Stir the Cheddar and chutney with the base mixture in the first bowl. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll the cheese ball in the cranberries to coat before serving. Serve with crackers.

    Step 3

    Stir the Roquefort and shallot with the base mixture in the second bowl; add brandy, if desired. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze up to 1 month. Roll in the walnuts to coat before serving. Serve with chips.

    Step 4

    Stir the goat cheese and scallions with the base mixture in the remaining bowl. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll in the parsley to coat before serving. Serve with cucumber slices.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
TagsAmericanCream CheeseCheeseDairyStarterDinnerGluten FreeVegetarianEasyMake AheadNo-CookElectric MixerStand MixerChristmasCookbooks
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