Description
These Mini Cheese Ball Bites are an elegant and flavorful appetizer featuring creamy goat cheese discs coated with a sweet and crunchy mixture of pecans, brown sugar, and dried cranberries. Enhanced with a hint of cinnamon and fresh parsley, these bite-sized treats are perfect for parties or easy entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 8 oz goat cheese
Coating
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Serving
- Pretzel sticks (optional, for garnish and easy serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheese Discs: Remove the goat cheese from its wrapper and cut it into 8-10 small discs. Set aside these discs to use as the base for your mini cheese balls.
- Make the Pecan Coating: Heat a small pan over medium heat and melt the unsalted butter. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the chopped pecans, brown sugar, ground cinnamon (if using), and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the Nut Mixture: Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to allow the sugar to caramelize and coat the pecans evenly. Then pour the hot mixture onto a large sheet of parchment paper, spreading it thinly.
- Cool and Crush the Coating: Allow the spread mixture to cool completely until it hardens. Once set, fold the parchment paper to trap the nuts inside and use a meat tenderizer to crush them into small pieces. Chop any larger pieces further with a knife to get a fine mixture.
- Mix with Cranberries and Parsley: Finely chop the dried cranberries, then combine them with the crushed pecans and fresh chopped parsley on a plate or cutting board. This will be the coating for the cheese balls.
- Form the Cheese Balls: Take one goat cheese disc and press it firmly into the nut mixture on each side, then roll it to fully coat the cheese. Shape it gently into a ball.
- Coat Again if Needed: If desired, roll the cheese balls once more into the pecan, cranberry, and parsley mixture to ensure full coating and crunch.
- Add Pretzel Sticks: To make serving easy, insert a pretzel stick into the top of each cheese ball. This step is optional but adds a fun presentation and convenient handle for guests.
Notes
- Using room temperature goat cheese discs helps the coating stick better.
- Make sure to let the caramelized pecan mixture cool completely before crushing for best texture.
- Ground cinnamon enhances the flavor but can be omitted for a simpler taste.
- Dried cranberries add sweetness and contrast, but you can substitute other dried fruits like chopped apricots.
- Store the cheese balls chilled in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- For a nut-free version, substitute nuts with crushed pretzels or seeds.
- The pretzel stick garnish is optional but makes for elegant presentation and easy finger food.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: goat cheese appetizer, cheese ball bites, pecan cheese balls, holiday appetizers, finger food, party snacks, sweet and savory appetizers
