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Mini Savory Cheeseballs: A Festive Appetizer Everyone Will Love

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If you're looking for the perfect party appetizer that’s fun, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make, these Mini Savory Cheeseballs are about to become your new go-to recipe.

These bite-sized treats pack all the creamy goodness of a traditional cheeseball but with a festive twist—three unique flavor coatings that make every bite different and delicious.

Mini Savory Cheeseballs

Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering, planning a bridal or baby shower, or just need something quick to take to a potluck, these mini cheeseballs look stunning on a platter and come together in minutes.

Let’s dive into how to make them and the three topping variations that take them from simple to spectacular.

Why You’ll Love These Mini Savory Cheeseballs

  • They’re easy to make ahead, saving you time during busy hosting days.
  • Perfect for holiday charcuterie boards or appetizer tables.
  • Customizable with your favorite flavors and add-ins.
  • Cute, portable, and mess-free—guests can grab one and go!

Mini Savory Cheeseballs take less than 20 minutes to prepare and look so darn festive — especially for the holiday season. Another great recipe for the holiday season is these Jalapeno Cream Cheese Bacon Bites.

How to Make Easy Mini Savory Cheeseballs

You start by putting your spices together to roll your cheese balls in.

Topping Variations for Mini Savory Cheeseballs

These three distinct coatings turn one simple cheese mixture into a trio of delicious mini cheeseballs:

1. Fresh Herb Coating

A bright, flavorful option with:

  • Chopped parsley
  • Chopped Rosemary
  • Chopped Thyme
  • Fresh Garlic, minced

2. Walnut & Cranberry Coating

A festive, slightly sweet, and crunchy version:

3. Garlic, Sesame & Poppy Seed Coating

Bold and savory—like everything bagel vibes without the onion:

Take the two blocks of cream cheese and cut them into 6-8 cubes. Roll them to create balls. In order to roll them into a smooth ball, let the block come to room temperature for a bit before getting started, so that it is easy to roll.

Now, roll each ball into whichever mixture you want. We did all three because we wanted to try all the different versions of the mini savory cheeseballs.

Refrigerate the cheeseballs for at least 1 hour to help them firm up.

Right before serving, insert a pretzel stick into each cheeseball. This makes them easy to pick up and adds a fun edible handle!

Tips & Variations

  • Serve with crackers, veggies, or crostini if you want more variety.
  • Swap walnuts for pecans or almonds if preferred.
  • Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the base mixture for heat.
  • Make them ahead—these store beautifully for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Perfect for Any Occasion

These mini cheeseballs look impressive on a holiday board—especially with the colorful cranberry topping—but they’re also perfect for New Year’s Eve, game day, or any casual get-together. Guests love the variety, and you’ll love how quick and fuss-free they are to put together.

Check out these other delicious appetizers as well!

Prepping for New Years Parties


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Yield: 8

Kraft Mini Savory Cheeseballs

Kraft Mini Savory Cheeseballs

These mini cheeseballs are perfect for your next get-together. Easy to make and full of amazing flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 packages of cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seed
  • 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons of finely chopped Pecans

Instructions

  1. Cut each block of cream cheese into 6 pieces; roll each into a ball.
  2. Combine the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and half the garlic in a small bowl.
  3. Mix the herbs and remaining garlic in a separate small bowl.
  4. Combine the cranberries and nuts in the third bowl.
  5. Roll 4 cheese balls in the sesame seed mixture, 4 cheese balls in the herb mixture, and the remaining cheese balls in the nut mixture.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Heather

Sunday 8th of December 2019

We're having a pot luck at work. I was thinking of making a big cheese ball, but I like this idea of making smaller ones. Now to figure out what else to take. :)

Jennifer Sikora

Tuesday 10th of December 2019

That sounds awesome. Glad I could help!

Jalapeno Bacon Ranch Cheeseball - A New Year's Party Appetizer -

Tuesday 29th of December 2015

[…] cheese is so versatile and you can add so many flavors to it — like my mini savory cheeseballs I fixed last week for […]

Maggie Branch

Wednesday 23rd of December 2015

These look super delicious! I love cheese balls but these look great and I'm sure taste great too.

Krystal

Wednesday 23rd of December 2015

I have never made cheeseballs like this before. They look REALLY good. Love the extra seasonings.

Paula H

Wednesday 23rd of December 2015

I love making my own cheese balls. They are so much fresher and tastier than store bought ones. I love your herb mixture, I'm seriously going to have to try that!

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