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These pumpkin shaped cheese balls are made with just three ingredients and are the perfect appetizer for fall!
I’ve made these pumpkin cheese balls a couple of times for the annual fall party my aunt hosts. And I’m finally remembering to share them here with you. (And even included a video with it, find that below). Because they’re just too cute and definitely need to be made for one of your fall parties! I love that pumpkins can be used all throughout fall – for any harvest parties, Halloween and Thanksgiving.
For these pumpkin cheese balls, I like to use real mini pumpkin stems for the stems on my cheese balls. You can also use pretzel sticks for the stem though – the pretzel twists are perfect for this!
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I’ve seen variations of this cheese ball, and a lot of people wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and then string to create the indented ridges, or pumpkin ribs (did you know they were called that?). I feel like that takes too much time, so I make my ridges with a toothpick. Check out the video below to see how it’s done.
So you can essentially make this and have it ready to serve in 20-30 minutes, just depending on how much chill time you want to give it! But they also can be made ahead and stored in the fridge and pulled out when ready to serve. Just be sure to give it a little time at room temp so it’s soft enough to dip into!
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Cute pumpkin shaped cheese balls are quick and easy to make and perfect for fall parties!
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, very soft
- 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix (make sure it’s the dressing mix & not the dip mix)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus a little more for coating the balls with
- pretzel twists or real mini pumpkin stems, for the stems
- crackers, bagel chips, pretzels, pita chips or crostini for serving
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In a medium bowl, stir softened cream cheese until smooth. (This is easiest if the cream cheese mixture is very soft, I usually microwave mine 30-60 seconds).
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Add in the ranch mix and stir until blended.
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Mix in the shredded cheese until combined.
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At this point, I like to pop it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, just to get it a little more firm.
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Divide the mixture into 3 equal size balls. (You can make one giant cheese ball out of the mixture as well. I just like how the smaller ones look).
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Place balls on a plate and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.
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Remove from fridge and roll/press some of the extra shredded cheese onto the balls, just to get a nice bright orange coating.
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Gently shape the cheese balls into a pumpkin shape, pressing them down slightly to become shorter and rounder. Press your finger into the top center to create a space where the stem will go.
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With a toothpick, draw lines on the outside edges of the cheese balls to create the pumpkin ridges.
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Add a pretzel twist or use a real mini pumpkin stem to create the stem.
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Serve with crackers, bagel chips, pretzels, pita chips or crostini.
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You can serve immediately or place them in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to let the cheese ball soften a bit for easier serving.
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Be sure to follow our Food & Recipe Pinterest Board for more inspiration!
-Manda
This was a big hit with my bookclub. It turned out just like your photos and I served it on a board with an assortment of crackers. Got a ton of compliments on it. Adorable!!