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Three cheese balls with walnut, peppercorn and paprika coatings on a board
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Cheese Ball Three Ways

One easy cheese ball base, three coatings: toasted walnut and garlic, peppercorn with oregano and sun-dried tomato, and paprika corn flake crunch. Makes three cheese balls of about 14 oz (410 g) each.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 24 servings
Calories 226
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Freezing 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 
 

Base

  • 555 g aged Gouda (or smoked Gouda)
  • 675 g cream cheese (three 8-oz blocks, softened)
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1-3 tbsp sour cream (only if the base is too stiff)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Walnut and garlic coating

  • 100 g walnuts (toasted)
  • 1 tbsp dried garlic (granulated)

Peppercorn and sun-dried tomato coating

  • 8-16 g mixed peppercorns (1–2 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 50 g sun-dried tomatoes (patted dry if oil-packed)

Paprika corn flake coating

  • 50 g plain corn flakes (unsweetened)
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika

Equipment

Instructions

Base

  • Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool.
  • Blend the cheese in a food processor until finely ground. Add the cream cheese, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and blend into a thick, sticky paste. If it’s too stiff, add sour cream a spoonful at a time.
  • Divide the base into three equal parts (about 410 g each). Wrap each in plastic, twist into a ball and freeze for 15 minutes.

Coatings

  • Chop the walnuts and mix with the garlic. Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and mix with the oregano and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Crush the corn flakes and mix with the paprika.
  • Unwrap the balls and roll each one in its own coating, pressing gently so it sticks.
    • Making ahead? Shape the balls up to 2 days early and roll them in the coatings shortly before serving.
    Just one cheese ball: 185 g (6½ oz) Gouda, one 8-oz block of cream cheese, a third of the seasonings and one coating.

Notes

Aged Gouda gives the base a strong, slightly caramel flavor; smoked Gouda makes a great smoky version.
Shape the uncoated balls up to 2 days ahead; roll them in the coatings shortly before serving so the crunch stays crisp.
Made with cream cheese: don’t leave the cheese balls out for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 9gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 296mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 722IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 1mg