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A festive and creamy cheese ball shaped and decorated to look like a pumpkin, perfect for fall get-togethers like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces full fat cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup full fat sour cream
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (split as 1 cup white cheddar, 1 cup orange cheddar for inside, 1 cup orange cheddar reserved for coating)
  • 1 cup shredded Emmentaler cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 bell pepper (for the stem)

Instructions

  1. Grate the cheddar and other cheeses as needed, reserving 1 cup orange cheddar for the coating.
  2. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheeses with a spatula or hand mixer.
  3. Stir in lemon juice, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until combined.
  4. Shape the cheese mixture into a loose ball using hands or a spatula.
  5. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap and spread the reserved orange cheddar in a thin, even layer on it.
  6. Place the cheese ball on the cheddar and roll it until evenly coated, then wrap tightly and smooth with plastic.
  7. Tie 3 to 4 pieces of string or butcher’s twine evenly around the ball to form 6–8 segments, pressing about 1/3–1/2 inch to create pumpkin ridges, and make a small dip at the top.
  8. Chill the wrapped and tied cheese ball in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours or overnight to set the shape.
  9. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and strings.
  10. Insert a small piece of bell pepper into the top indentation as the pumpkin stem.

Notes

Always grate your own cheddar cheese for better adhesion., Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for creamy texture and stable shape., Tie twine just tight enough to create pumpkin grooves and remove just before serving., Chilling is essential to set the shape firmly., If mixture is too soft, add more shredded cheese and chill longer; if too dry, add a teaspoon or two of sour cream., Take out of fridge 20-30 minutes before serving for easy spreading but do not leave unrefrigerated more than 3-4 hours., To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in airtight freezer bag; freezes up to 3-4 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/pumpkin-cheese-ball/