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Reindeer Cheese Ball

This reindeer cheese ball is a cheddar and cream cheese appetizer rolled in pecans and decorated with pretzel antlers, olive eyes, and a red pepper nose. Chill it until firm, then serve with crackers for a festive centerpiece.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cheese ball
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
For decorating
  • 0.5 cup pecans finely chopped
  • 2 pretzel twists small
  • 2 slices black olives
  • 1 red bell pepper small triangle
For serving
  • 1 box (8 oz) assorted crackers

Method
 

Make the cheese ball
  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, cheddar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until evenly combined.
  2. Shape the mixture into a ball.
  3. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm.
Decorate the cheese ball
  1. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in the pecans, gently pressing them onto the surface.
  2. Set the ball on a serving plate.
  3. Press the pretzel twists into the top for antlers.
  4. Add the olive slices for eyes and the bell pepper triangle for a nose.
Serve
  1. Arrange the crackers around the cheese ball and serve.
  2. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

For the best texture, chill the cheese ball until firm before rolling it in pecans. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because the texture may change. For a nut-free option, use toasted sunflower seeds instead of pecans.