This easy no-bake recipe makes creamy, tangy Goat Cheese Balls with four yummy topping variations – fresh dill, chives, pistachios and pomegranate seeds! With mini pretzel sticks acting as edible toothpicks, they’re a lovely appetizer for any special occasion.
My Favorite Finger Foods for the Holidays
These assorted goat cheese balls are a gourmet snack or appetizer that couldn’t be easier to make. You just have to blend a few ingredients in your food processor, shape the cheese balls, chill them, roll them into the toppings and poke in the pretzel sticks. There’s no cooking or baking involved!
This one quick recipe gives you four delicious cheese ball flavors to enjoy. Between the pistachio, dill, chive and pomegranate, I simply can’t decide on a favorite. You can pick and choose which toppings you use depending on your preferences, but I recommend trying them all! You could even get creative by mixing and matching multiple toppings onto each cheese ball.
What You’ll Need
These goat cheese balls are made with just 4 ingredients before they’re coated in the toppings and finished off with pretzel stick handles.
- Goat Cheese: This ultra-creamy cheese is full of vitamins and healthy fats.
- Cream Cheese: To supplement the goat cheese.
- Garlic Powder & Dry Basil: To add a delightful hint of garlic-herb flavor.
- Pistachios: Crushed.
- Fresh Dill: Chopped.
- Fresh Chives: Chopped.
- Pomegranate Seeds: This recipe makes enough of each topping to coat a quarter of the finished cheese balls.
- Pretzel Sticks: Or toothpicks.
Shop This Recipe
How to Make Assorted Goat Cheese Balls
This luxurious appetizer is almost too easy! Grab your food processor and follow the simple instructions below.
Combine Cheese Ball Ingredients: Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic powder and basil to your food processor. Blend until combined.
Chill Mixture: Place the cheese ball mixture in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
Form Cheese Balls: Remove the mixture from the fridge and roll it into 1/2-inch balls (you should be able to make 12-14 of them).
Chill Again: Place the balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, or until they’ve set.
Add Toppings: Remove your hardened cheese balls from the refrigerator and roll them into the prepared toppings.
Enjoy! Place a pretzel stick through the center of each ball and serve.
Tips for Success
With the help of the tips below, you’re destined to prepare the perfect appetizer. So don’t forget to check them out!
- Season to Taste: If you’d like to add more garlic powder or dried basil to your cheese ball mixture, go right ahead. Just keep in mind that the toppings will add additional flavor.
- Don’t Skimp on the Chill Time: You have to chill your goat cheese mixture as indicated in the recipe – both before and after you form the balls. The initial chill time helps you create the balls, and the latter makes them easier to roll into the toppings.
- Refrigerate Unless Serving Immediately: If you’re not serving your cheese balls right away, keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in. This keeps them fresh and prevents them from melting.
What to Serve with Cheese Balls
I like to enjoy my goat cheese balls with crackers, chips or more pretzels. You could also drizzle them with a little bit of honey or maple syrup. Sometimes, I’ll even serve them over a salad like this Easy Arugula Salad with candied pecans, pomegranate seeds and white balsamic dressing!
Storage Instructions
These cheese balls should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container. They’re best if they’re eaten within 1 week, but they should last for up to 2 if you store them properly. If you’d like to store them for longer than a week, I recommend adding the toppings just before serving.
Can I Freeze These?
Easily! But I suggest rolling them into the toppings after they have thawed. Wrap each cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them in a freezer-safe container or storage bag. Unwrap them and thaw them in an airtight container in the fridge – just make sure they’re not touching each other so that they don’t stick together. Frozen cheese balls last for up to 2 months.
Print
Assorted Holiday Goat Cheese Balls
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy no-bake recipe makes creamy, tangy Goat Cheese Balls with four yummy topping variations – fresh dill, chives, pistachios and pomegranate seeds! With mini pretzel sticks acting as edible toothpicks, they’re a lovely appetizer for any special occasion.
Ingredients
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- 3 oz. cream cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry basil
- 1/4 cup crushed pistachios
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
- 12–14 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- In a food processor add cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic powder and basil. Blend until combined.
- Place goat cheese mixture in refrigerator to cool for 20 minutes.
- Remove goat cheese mixture and roll into 1/2″ mini balls (you should be able to get around 12-14 balls out of the goat cheese mixture) When finished, place on parchment paper and put in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to harden.
- Remove the goat cheese balls from the refrigerator and roll them in the toppings (crushed pistachio, fresh dill, fresh chives, and pomegranate seeds) Place a pretzel stick through the center and serve.
- If you are not serving right away, store in the refrigerator.
- Optional: Serve with your favorite crackers.
Notes
- Makes 12-14 cheese balls.
- To Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week with toppings or 2 weeks without.
- To Freeze: Don’t add toppings until after thawing. Wrap each cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer-safe container. Unwrap and thaw in an airtight container in the fridge, leaving space between each ball. Defrost and enjoy within 2 months.
Filed Under:
More Easy No-Bake Appetizers
Want more tasty appetizers that don’t require any baking? Refer to the recipes below!
- Spicy Cream Cheese Cucumber Bites
- Homemade Hummus
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Bites with Balsamic Reduction
- Watermelon Feta Bruschetta
DON’T MISS A RECIPE ->
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN | INSTAGRAM
41 comments on “Assorted Holiday Goat Cheese Balls”
Maravilhosooo!!!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Excellent idea. So original too! Thanks 😊
Your recipe looks very delicous and healthy. You made it like an artist.
I will try it soon. Thank for share this awesome post.
Ohh thank you so much Karen! You are too sweet!
These cheeseballs look great! Love them all – especially the dill one. Dill is my favourite herb Xx
I’m not normally a fan of dill but with goat cheese… wow! Yum is all I have to say!
Awesome, you make this like an artist. Looks so yummy, my kids will love them. Thank you for your sharing!
Ohh thanks Anthony! Hope you the kiddos enjoy this recipe!
Did this last night for an appetizer with another couple. Easy. Delicious. We ADDED an option the ones above: Prosciutto (baked & chopped)… Not a bad addition. This will be a fun, go to appetizer moving forward.
Oh.. love that addition! I almost did bacon myself. 🙂 Glad to hear it was a hit!
Definitely making these for Christmas Eve! How far in advance can I make the cream cheese-goat cheese mixture?
You’ll love them Barbara. You could make the goat cheese mixture probably a day or two ahead of time but I wouldn’t roll them in the other ingredients until the day of.
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try them!
You’re welcome Barbara! You’ll love them!
It has been tough to get back in the swing of things this week after the Thanksgiving holiday. It will be the weekend again before we know it, though. 😉 These cheese balls look so good! I love how easy they are to customize!
True that! Weekend can’t come sooner. 🙂 Glad you liked the cheese balls girl!
These are SO cute! Such a great way to make single serving bites!
Thanks so much Kimberly Ann!
I’ve always wanted to make an appetizer like this – they look wonderful and tasty!
Well now you can! Hip Hip Hurray! 🙂 Thanks Deb!
OH MY GOSH. I am so in LOVE with these little balls. I could eat goat cheese every day, all day long…and with all these flavors, I ACTUALLY could! Pinning!
hehe hurray! I adore goat cheese too girl, I basically live off the stuff and have it in my frig at all times. Cason will even go in the frig and put his finger in to get a bite, so funny! Thanks for the pin! 🙂
Wow! What a colorful recipe! Looking so delicious! I must try this easy recipe on next holiday.
Thank you so much Kenneth!
Ok these little goat cheese balls are perfection! I LOVE how perfect they are for the holidays.
eeekk!!! thanks so much Brandy! 🙂
What a fun and festive (and easy to make) little appetizer! Adorable and convenient to eat 🙂 Thanks for sharing the perspective of the “farmer’s wife.” Lots to think about. Also, I didn’t know no-till farming was a thing! Cheers!
Thanks so much Patricia, glad to hear you liked them so much and that you learned a thing or two about farming. 🙂 I didn’t know about the no till thing until a little bit ago too, so smart though! 🙂
I love how colorful and festive these are! I also appreciate how quick and simple they are to make and I’m all about make-ahead appetizers, anything that saves me time! 🙂
I’m all about the make ahead too girl, it’s a must have during the holidays for sure!
Ahh I don’t like this reality…I loved our first holiday as a family of three! But the only thing that makes me enjoy it is looking at these beautiful little bites!
hehe… enjoy girl! 🙂 And yeah for 1st holidays together! hurray!
Such a fun idea for appetizers! These will be perfect for the holidays!
Thank Jamielyn! The little pretzel sticks are so much fun but the cheese is the star of these! 🙂
Such a fun easy recipe! Love how festive they look – a perfect holiday appetizer!
Thank you so much Lisa!
Sarah had a lot of great things to share! Plus I can see a lot of people making and enjoying these goat cheese balls this season!!
Agreed… on both counts. 🙂
Umm, how cute and festive are these?!?! They are 100% going on my Christmas party list for the PERFECT APPETIZERS! Only 7 ingredients and super simple makes this the best thing on the PLANET! I cannot wait to try these out at the first Christmas party of the season. 🙂
Hurray! Can’t wait to hear what you think girl. So glad you liked them!