Mini Cheese Balls

With July 4th just around the corner (this coming Saturday for those who forgot) I know you want to find some recipes that will make your celebration special. And I know the perfect appetizer for your party will be these Mini Cheese Balls. Not just any cheese balls, but cheese balls that are both sweet and savory!

Since it's still mystery week here, today's recipe flavors are two of Dum Dum's lollipops new Mystery flavors, pizza and bacon. Yes, you can have both!

Again, I crushed the lollipops and rolled my cheese balls in them for one flavor-filled appetizer bite that will help keep your guests at bay when you send your hubby back to the store for more hot dog and hamburger buns because he forgot them the first time.

Yes, it's happened to many other couples too, but they didn't have these mini cheese balls to help distract their guests until he comes back.

And the best thing about these is they're easy to make, no cooking involved, they're a little of both sweet and savory, and creamy and crunchy, all in one little mouthful! Plus the pretzel stick not only enhances their flavoring, but it also provides crunchiness and it's own little serving handle. Which lessens the chance of you stepping on a discarded toothpick later on in the day.

Just a little health tip to keep in mind when you're entertaining this 4th of July, make sure to keep all cold foods, well, cold. I know it sounds simple enough, but if its hot where you are, cold foods become susceptible to bacteria growth after being left out for 2 hours (only one hour if air temperature is above 90F degrees) and bacteria double in numbers every 20 minutes. Causing you or someone celebrating at your home to become ill with food poisoning. And if you've never had food poisoning, count yourself lucky, because it is NO fun!

To keep your cold foods safe this weekend, keep cold foods in the refrigerator until you serve them. If the foods need to be outside, serve foods on chilled serving trays with covers or place the serving trays over ice to help keep them cool. And remember to make sure the foods are not outside longer than 2 hours, one hour if air temperature is above 90F degrees.

Wishing y'all a happy & safe 4th of July!

Mini Cheese Balls

A mini cheese ball appetizer that is great for Holidays and parties.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0
Total time: 4 hours and 10 minutes (includes chilling time)
Yield: 20 cheese balls
Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/16 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/16 teaspoon Sirachi sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small bag pretzel stix, placed in right before serving

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a medium to large mixing bowl and blend together using your stand mixer. You can blend by hand but it will take some muscle.
2. Once all ingredients are combined, half the mixture, placing into 2 separate small bowls. One bowl will be for your pizza cheese balls and the other for the bacon cheese balls.

For Pizza Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon finely shredded cheddar cheese
• dash sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 10 Pizza lollipops, crushed

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet or plate with wax paper and set aside.
2. In one bowl, add the cheddar cheese, sea salt, and sun-dried tomatoes.
3. Take about 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture and roll between your hands to make ball shapes.
4. Place balls onto prepared cookie sheet or plate and repeat.
5. Put cookie sheet of mini cheese balls into the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours.
6. While cheese balls are chilling, crush the pizza lollipops. I usually place my lollipops into a ziplock bag, place the ziplock bag between a towel (over and beneath it) and smash with a mallet. Remove the sticks and pour crushed lollipops into a small airtight container to store until use.
7. Right before serving, roll cheese balls in crushed pizza lollipops, place a pretzel stick into the center and serve.

For Bacon Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Bleu cheese crumbles
• dash sea salt
• 10 Bacon lollipops, crushed

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet or plate with wax paper and set aside.
2. In one bowl, add the bleu cheese and sea salt.
3. Take about 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture and roll between your hands to make ball shapes.
4. Place balls onto prepared cookie sheet or plate and repeat.
5. Put cookie sheet of mini cheese balls into the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours.
6. While cheese balls are chilling, crush the bacon lollipops. I usually place my lollipops into a ziplock bag, place the ziplock bag between a towel (over and beneath it) and smash with a mallet. Remove the sticks and pour crushed lollipops into a small airtight container to store until use.
7. Right before serving, roll cheese balls in crushed bacon lollipops, place a pretzel stick into the center and serve.

*Helpful Hints*

 

- You can prepare the cheese balls the day before. Just wait until right before serving to roll in crushed lollipops and place in pretzel stick. Otherwise, crushed lollipops will become drippy and pretzel stick will become soggy.

 

- Keep mini cheese balls chilled.

 

- Can serve with crackers also.

Inspired by ~ Mini Cheese Ball Bites from Lauren at Tastes Better From Scratch.

Disclaimer ~ I received no monies from Spangler Candy Company for this post. I only received Dum Dum's Lollipops to use for my recipe. All opinions and recipe are my own.

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