Name: Everything Bagel Cheese Ball
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (room temperature); 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded; 2 Tablespoons ranch seasoning or 1 (1 ounce) packet; 1/4 cup chopped chives; 1/3 cup "Everything Bagel" seasoning; 2 black olives (for the eyes), optional; 1 cherry tomato (for the nose), optional; 2 pretzels (for the antlers), optional

This “Everything Bagel” Cheese Ball recipe takes minutes to prepare and will be a huge crowd-pleaser! Decorate with pretzels to look like a reindeer for the holidays or leave plain for any occasion.

everything bagel cheese ball with title text decorated to look like a reindeer

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Cheese balls are one of my favorite party foods to make. They are so easy to mix up and they are really affordable when you realize this will feed 16 people! There are lots of different ways to flavor your cheese ball, and today we are going with ranch seasoning, cheddar cheese and “Everything Bagel” seasoning.

Pick up a bottle of “Everything Bagel” seasoning at your local grocery store (pretty much every store has caught on to this addictive seasoning!) or mix up a batch yourself. Check out my recipe for DIY Everything Bagel Seasoning.

Use your Everything Bagel seasoning for this Smoked Salmon Spread or Instant Pot Everything Bagel Salmon, too!

Ingredients

Cream Cheese: You will want to use full fat cream cheese. The low-fat option just does not taste as good. Go ahead and splurge this time. For another tasty cream cheese appetizer, try this Smoked Buffalo Chicken dip!

Cheddar Cheese: Feel free to use pre-shredded cheddar cheese in this recipe. You will use half of an 8 ounce bag. If you only have a block of cheese, grate it on the larger holes and measure one cup.

Ranch Seasoning: This recipe uses one (1 ounce) packet or 2 Tablespoons of ranch seasoning. I love to buy my ranch seasoning in bulk because I add it to everything. Ever sprinkle ranch seasoning on your spaghetti? Don’t knock it til you try it.

Chives: Fresh chives are the herb version of green onions. They add a subtle onion flavor to your cheese ball. You can substitute green onions or leave out all together.

Everything Bagel Seasoning: Like I mentioned above, invest in a bottle of “Everything Bagel” seasoning or make a batch yourself. It’ll be your new go-to seasoning.

Reindeer Decorations: These are totally optional, but they make such an adorable cheese ball. To create your reindeer, you’ll need two black olives, one cherry tomato and two regular-size pretzels.

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups
Knife and Cutting Board (or kitchen scissors)
Plastic Wrap
Plate

Kitchen scissors are my secret weapon for cutting fresh herbs. I can pick herbs right from my AeroGarden and cut them up finely without having to get out a cutting board.

How to Make Everything Bagel Cheese Ball

cream cheese and chopped chives in glass bowl — Combine softened cream cheese, ranch seasoning and chopped chives

A bowl of shredded cheese with a spoon in it, perfect for an everything bagel cheese ball recipe. — Combine softened cream cheese, ranch seasoning and chopped chives

Combine room temperature cream cheese, chopped chives and ranch seasoning and mix until well combined. This can be done in a stand mixer, with a hand mixer or in a bowl with a rubber scraper.
Add shredded cheese and mix until well combined.
Place cheese mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to form the cheese mixture into a ball and wrap to secure.
Chill cheese ball in fridge for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, pour 2 Tablespoons of Everything Bagel seasoning on a small plate. Unwrap cheese ball and place on seasoning. Sprinkle on additional seasoning and roll cheese ball in seasoning until completely coated.
To decorate as a reindeer, insert 2 black olives for eyes and 1 cherry tomato for a nose. Insert pretzels on top to look like antlers.

How to Serve Cheese Ball

Let’s be honest. Anything is really just a vessel to get the cheese ball in your mouth, right? So use whatever sounds good! Crackers, pretzels, crostini (toasted baguette slices), veggie sticks like carrots and celery are always a great option.

I’ve even used cheese ball as the filling for grilled cheese sandwiches – YUM!

Cream cheese can safely stay at room temperature for 2 hours. You will want to remove your cheese ball from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving so that it has time to soften a bit. Store any leftovers in a container for up to 7 days.

More Appetizer and Snack Ideas

cheese ball coated in everything bagel seasoning with pretzels, black olives and tomato to look like reindeer

Recipe

Yield: 16 servings