Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls

These Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls just might be the perfect appetizer for all of your fall and Halloween gatherings. Not only are they adorable, but they are quite delicious too!

Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls

Friends, you know how much I love a cheese ball. It’s been way too long since I prepared one here on Inspired by Charm so I thought it was time for another. These Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls just might be my latest favorite.

If you’re new here, know that I think cheese balls are not only delicious but a cute and clever appetizer idea for basically every occasion. Many years ago, my fascination with cheese balls started when I made these apple-shaped ones. From there, I’ve made one that looks like a Christmas tree, spider cheese balls, a dessert-flavored cheesed ball, and many more. You can find them all HERE.

Several years ago, I made a Pumpkin-Shaped Everything Bagel Cheese Ball that continues to be one of the most popular recipes here on Inspired by Charm.

This week I’m back with my Tastes of the Seasons blogger friends and our theme for the week is fall appetizers. I immediately knew what had to be done: Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls.

Side note: Hanging out with my Tastes of the Seasons blogger friends this time of year is one of my favorite things. I’ve linked all of their delicious recipes below. Be sure to click through all of their blogs because they’ve made some delightful fall appetizer treats!

I couldn’t be more pleased with how these Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls turned out. From flavor to presentation, they are a winner all around.

Looking for more fall appetizer recipes? Try these:

• Turkey Baon Cranberry Roll-Ups
• The Ultimate Sausage Pizza Dip
• Sausage Wonton Bites
• Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon
• Caramelized Onion Dip
• Baked Delicata Rings

As you can see, instead of making just one style of cheeseball, I varied up the look by rolling them in different coatings. I used paprika for the rust-colored pumpkin, black sesame seeds for the black-colored pumpkin, and crushed Doritos for the orange-colored pumpkin. (Doritos create the perfect orange color and I love the flavor they add.) To create the grooves on these mini pumpkins, a wooden skewer works perfectly.

For the stem, I used half of a pretzel stick and a small leaf of parsley. I didn’t add the parsley leaf to every pumpkin because I wanted a little visual variety.

While these Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls do take a little time to whip up, I think they are well worth the effort. If you wanted to skip the mini version, you could create one or two large cheese balls as I did here.

Also, I should mention that this post is overloaded with photos. (Yes, I know I’m always guilty of adding too many pictures to my blog posts — please forgive me). The extra number of photos occurred because I ended up taking pictures of the cheese balls in two different settings.

With the first setting I created this seasonal veggie board. I wanted to pair these Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls with this delicious Cheesy Veggie Dip. The recipe for the veggie dip will be posted in the next day or two.

Looking for more tasty and cozy fall appetizer recipes? You got it! I have a blog post dedicated to my favorite fall snack and bites. You can find that HERE.

For the second setting, I wanted to do a presentation with a little Halloween twist. My friends over at My Mind’s Eye (my favorite paper goods and party decor company) sent me some of their new Halloween lines and I couldn’t wait to put them to use.

You’ll see in this styling that I used a few of their goodies including a Vintage Halloween Platter, Cauldron Plates, and Potion Bottle Napkins. They are so cute!

You can shop all of their holiday and everyday collections HERE. 

No matter how you present or serve these adorable little balls of cheese, I think you’re going to love them! With all of that being said, let me walk you through the recipe.

Kitchen Tools I Recommend for This Recipe:

Whether you’re wondering what equipment you’ll need for this recipe, curious about my favorite utensils, or if you’re just looking to stock your own kitchen, these are the kitchen tools I recommend for this recipe:

• mixing bowls
• box grater
• wooden spoon
• 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
• appetizer plates
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Want more? You can find the list of My Ultimate Kitchen Essentials HERE.

How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls:

Add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers, green onions, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to a medium bowl. Mix together with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. I’ve provided a full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the printable recipe card below.

Cover and chill for about an hour.

Add your selected coatings to small plates. I’m using crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds. You can use as many or as few coatings as you’d like. I used three to create a little interest in texture and color. If you’re selecting only one, I tend to think the Nacho Cheese Doritos is the best choice as it adds great flavor and the perfect pumpkin color. To crush the Doritos, add them to a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin until you achieve a fine crumb.

Use a tablespoon measuring scoop to get a portion of the cheese mixture. Roll into a ball and set on a plate. Continue until all of the cheese mixture is rolled into balls.

Roll each of the balls in one of your prepared coatings and set aside.

Use a wooden skewer to make marks up the side of each ball and across the top to achieve a pumpkin look. Place half of a pretzel stick into the top center of each mini cheese ball, then garnish with a small leaf of parsley. In order to create a little variety in the presentation, I didn’t put the parsley leaf on every pumpkin.

Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve and that’s it!

To be honest, I envisioned these turning out to be cute, but never this cute. I’m in love with them.

Also, the base recipe for this cheeseball is really delicious too. While it might seem rather simple, it’s a delicious combination of flavors that I think everyone will like.

Seasons of Home Fall Appetizer Recipes:

Want more delicious and unique fall appetizer recipes? Be sure to check out the amazing selection below from my Tastes of the Seasons blogger friends. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Bites by Ella Claire & Co. | Fig and Honey Baked Brie by Freutcake | Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls by Inspired by Charm

Rustic Bread with Cheese & Pistachio by French Country Cottage | Easy Ham and Swiss Sliders by Handmade Farmhouse | Caramel Apple Dip by Zevy Joy

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Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls Recipe:

Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls

These Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls just might be the perfect appetizer for all of your fall and Halloween gatherings. Not only are they adorable, but they are quite delicious too!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizer, cheese, cheese ball, fall appetizer

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 28

Calories: 91kcal

Equipment

• mixing bowls
• box grater
• wooden spoon
• 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
• appetizer plates
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• 2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers drained and patted dry
• 3 green onions finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos paprika, and/or black sesame seeds*

Garnish:

• 20 pretzel sticks
• fresh flat-leaf parsley
• assorted crackers for serving

Instructions

• Add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers, green onions, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to a medium bowl. Mix together with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and chill for about an hour.
• Add your selected coatings* to small plates. I'm using crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, paprika, and black sesame seeds. Use a tablespoon measuring scoop to get a portion of the cheese mixture. Roll into a ball and set on a plate. Continue until all of the cheese mixture is rolled into balls.
• Roll each of the balls in one of your prepared coatings and set aside.
• Use a wooden skewer to make marks up the side of each ball and across the top to achieve a pumpkin look. Place half of a pretzel stick into the top center of each mini cheese ball, then garnish with a small leaf of parsley.
• Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

Notes

* You can use as many or as little coatings as you'd like. I used three to create a little texture and color interest. If you're selecting only one, my preference would be the Nacho Cheese Doritos as it adds great flavor and the perfect pumpkin color. To crush the Doritos, add them to a plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin until you achieve a fine crumb.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg