Acorn Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 0.5 cup sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (finely shredded)
• 0.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 0.25 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp onion powder
• 0.25 tsp kosher salt
• 0.125 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp chives (finely chopped)
• 6 mini pretzel sticks (broken in half)
• 0.5 cup bacon (cooked and very finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup pecans (toasted and very finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup flax seeds (optional)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl, mash the softened cream cheese with a fork until smooth.

2. 2

   Add the cheddar, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and chives. Stir until very well incorporated.

3. 3

   Portion the mixture into 1½-tablespoon amounts and roll each portion into an oval; the recipe makes 10–12 balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour, or freeze for 20–30 minutes, until firm enough to work with.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, cook the bacon if needed and chop it very finely. Chop the pecans very finely, using a nut grinder or small food processor if desired.

5. 5

   Toast the pecan crumbs in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until toasted and light golden brown.

6. 6

   Put the bacon, pecans, and optional flax seeds into three separate bowls.

7. 7

   Once the cheese balls have firmed, use a toothpick to press an indentation all the way around each oval about two-thirds of the way up. Gently narrow the section below the indentation. This shaping detail is optional, but helps the balls resemble acorns.

8. 8

   Choose a topping combination for each acorn. The suggested combinations are flax on top with pecans on the bottom, bacon on top with pecans on the bottom, or flax on top with bacon on the bottom. Roll the top section in its chosen topping, pressing the topping in with your hands.

9. 9

   Insert a halved pretzel stick into the top of each acorn. Holding it by the pretzel stem, roll the bottom section in its second topping, pressing the topping in so it sticks.

10. 10

    Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers if desired.

Notes

Chop the toppings very finely so they stick well; if the cheese balls soften while decorating, return them to the freezer for 10 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing leftovers is not recommended. Suggested accompaniments include fruit-and-nut crackers or rosemary olive-oil crackers.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• vegetarian option
• Thanksgiving
• fall
• no-bake
• make-ahead