Turkey Cheese Ball

Name: Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers for a Crowd
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese softened; 8 oz whipped cream cheese – plain or with chives; 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese; 6 oz one envelope dry Italian dressing mix; 1/2 cup pecans, chopped; Pretzel rods or sticks as desired; Googly eyes; Mini bell pepper

by Sula ** sulaandspice.com

20 servings

20 min

November is all about Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving is all about the turkey. But lets have a little fun, shall we? Make a cheese ball and decorate it to look like a turkey. Super cute and so very fun! It's the perfect appetizer to keep your hungry family busy while you are trying to juggle all the other pieces of the meal! Cheese Ball recipe is included but you can also use your favorite and just follow the decorating instructions. So easy and it will make everyone smile!

Take the cheese ball, roll in nuts, and make a tail from pretzels rods or sticks

One more pretzel rod is the neck.

Use a little cream cheese to attach a beak made of orange bell pepper.

Two googly eyes completes the look!

A perfect Thanksgiving appetizer!

Turkey Cheese Ball

You can do it! Saved to your recipes

Recipe details

Yield 20 servings
Time spent: Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 0 Minutes Total time: 20 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese softened
8 oz whipped cream cheese – plain or with chives
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
6 oz one envelope dry Italian dressing mix

Decoration

1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Pretzel rods or sticks as desired
Googly eyes
Mini bell pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the whipped cream cheese and beat to incorporate.
Add the dry Italian dressing and mix well.
With a spatula or large spoon, mix in the shredded cheese.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for an hour or until firm.
When cheese ball is firm, remove from bowl and gently shape into a ball. Roll immediately in chopped nuts. Place on serving plate.
Decorate as desired with pretzel sticks/rods for the tail and one pretzel rod for a neck. With a small dab of cream cheese attach eyes and a small piece of bell pepper to form a beak.

Comments

Ava on Nov 14, 2020

I don't think we can get whipped cream cheese in NZ. What could I substitute it with?

8 Reply
- See 2 previous
- Sula ** sulaandspice.com on Nov 16, 2020
  
  You can use regular cream cheese, it will probably just give you a more "firm" final cheese ball. I have also considered whipping up some cottage cheese and mixing it in as a way to make a softer cheese ball. But I have not had a chance to try this yet.
  
  Like
- Debora Herman on Nov 18, 2020
  
  Can you get whipping cream? If so, maybe you could add some whipping cream to the cream cheese and mix it with your mixer, to get the softness your looking for.
  
  Like
- Ava on Nov 18, 2020
  
  Thank you for your help.
  
  I've decided to fold in a tablespoon or two of sour cream to get a softer consistency. Should work.
  
  2
Catherine Juhlin on Nov 18, 2020

Very cute if only....maybe next year!

1 Reply
- See 1 previous
- Sula ** sulaandspice.com on Nov 18, 2020
  
  well, you can always pin it to save the idea!
  
  Like
- Catherine Juhlin on Nov 18, 2020
  
  Yes, otherwise I’ll never remember. I think I’ll pass it to one of my kids, she might like to make it since she will probably go to her sisters for the holiday.
  
  Like