The best basic cheeseball recipe creates a savory appetizer you’ll love making. You’ll find yourself making this savory recipe over and over and customizing it for almost any holiday or occasion!

If you’ve been reading my site for a while, you know I have a thing for cheeseballs.

I make them for literally every occasion under the sun from Easter to Christmas.

And I equally love both sweet and savory versions of them.

Since I share so many cheeseballs on here, I thought it was finally time to share a master savory basic cheeseball recipe that you can put together at any gathering.

Ingredients

To make this easy appetizer you’ll need:

Cream cheese– Let it soften on the counter prior to making this so it is easier to work with.
Cheddar cheese– Finely grated works better than thicker shreds.
Green onions– Finely chop them up.
Seasonings– Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper
Pecans– Crush them.

How to Make

Making this is so easy, which is why I make tons of cheeseballs throughout the year!

To do it, whip the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer it is until smooth and creamy.

Then add the remaining ingredients except for the nuts to the whipped cream cheese and mix everything together just until combined.

Lightly spray your clean hands with non stick cooking spray and then use your hands to shape the cream cheese mixture into a uniform ball. Set the ball back in the bowl.

Once you’ve set the ball down, spread the crushed pecan pieces onto a flat plate.

Then, set the ball down on top of it in the center.

Scoop the nuts up and around the sides of the cheeseball, pressing them in as needed until the whole ball is evenly covered.

Wrap the cheeseball tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour but up to overnight to let it firm up.

Remove the cheese ball from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature 30 minutes prior to serving so that it softens.

Serve with your desired dippers and enjoy!

Dipping Ideas

You can really dip anything you’d like into this savory cheeseball, but I do have a few favorites including:

toasted sliced baguettes
sturdy crackers
pretzel sticks
pita chips
bagel chips
sturdy veggies like celery sticks, carrots, and cucumber slices

I try to avoid more delicate dippers with this.

Storing Leftovers

To store leftovers, just wrap the ball back up tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. The leftovers should keep for up to 4 days.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! This is the perfect make ahead appetizer!

I almost always make this the night before I intend to serve it, making for effortless prep!

Just remember to pull it out of the refrigerator, plate it however you’d like, and let it rest at room temperature a full 30 minutes before you intend to serve it to guests.

That will allow the cream cheese to soften to the perfect consistency to be deliciously spreadable.

Seasonal Savory Cheeseballs

While this is a classic recipe, perfect for using to entertain with anytime of year, I have a ton of seasonal variations on savory cheeseballs.

Some have been shaped into fun festive treats and others just take this recipe and vary it by adding a few seasonal flavors.

Other seasonal variations you might enjoy include:

Other Easy Appetizer Recipes

You can never go wrong with a classic basic cheeseball recipe like this one. Make it for your next occasion and enjoy!

Looking for other easy appetizer recipes? Try these:

If you’ve tried this BASIC CHEESEBALL RECIPE, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

pecan coated basic cheeseball with a spreader sticking out the top surrounded by large crackers

The Best Basic Cheeseball

The best basic cheeseball recipe creates a savory appetizer you'll love making. You'll find yourself making this savory recipe over and over and customizing it for almost any holiday or occasion!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings:

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

2 8 oz bars cream cheese softened
2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese
2 green onions finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch black pepper
1 cup pecans roughly crushed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl, and using a hand mixer whip it until smooth & creamy- roughly 1-2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, except for the nuts, to the bowl of whipped cream cheese. Mix everything together just until evenly combined.
Lightly spray your clean hands with non stick cooking spray, and then grab the bowl/lump of cream cheese mixture. Turn it over in your hands to shape it into a uniform ball. Set the ball back in the bowl.
Spread the crushed pecan pieces onto a flat plate, and set the ball down on top of it in the center. Scoop the nuts up and around the sides of the cheeseball, pressing them in as needed until the whole ball is evenly covered.
Wrap the cheeseball tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour, and up to overnight.
Remove the cheese ball from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature 30 minutes prior to serving so that it softens.
Serve with your desired dippers, such as a variety of crackers, vegetables, and pretzels.