Christmas Tree Cheese Balls
Transform cream cheese into a stunning holiday display with these cute Christmas Tree Cheese Balls. This spirited appetizer features 64 bite-sized cream cheese balls rolled in savory and sweet toppings like crispy bacon, pistachios, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, mini chocolate chips, and pomegranate arils.
I absolutely adore this Christmas board for the holidays. Arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree on a 12×24’’ Board, these cheese balls make a fabulous focal point for your holiday table! A base of chocolate chip balls forms the tree trunk, while the rest stack upward to a single “tree topper” ball at the top.
Christmas Tree Cheese Balls
Serve with toasted baguette slices for spreading, for a crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for a Christmas celebration. This is easy enough to prepare at home, and bring the board right with you to your next holiday party. They will be scooped up in no time (and so delish!)
Why I love this recipe
- Feeds a crowd.
- Easy to make the cheese balls ahead of time, and then create the board right before serving.
- Optional to make in the shape of a wreath on a round board, too.
- Serve with a knife so guests can cut in half, if they prefer.
Gather these ingredients
- Cream cheese – room temperature
- Baguette – large – thinly sliced
- Bacon – cooked and finely chopped
- Pistachios – finely chopped
- Cranberries – dried, finely chopped
- Rosemary and parsley – finely chopped
- Mini chocolate chips
- Pomegranate arils
How to make Christmas Tree Cheese Balls
- Prep the above toppings and place onto 5 large plates for rolling the cheese balls.
- Cut each package of cream cheese on a cutting board into 8 even squares (after removing the packaging). Each piece will be about 1 oz of cream cheese.
- Roll the 64 pieces, using the palm of your hands, into small balls. Next, roll the balls in the 5 different prepped ingredients. Repeat until all the balls are covered with toppings.
- Lay the brown chocolate chip balls at the bottom to form a small trunk of the tree. Then, starting from the base of the tree, continue to add the balls all the way up to the top where you will have 1 ball for the “tree topper.” Shape the balls like a tree, stacking them on top of each other. Optional, to make an organized pattern, or you can place them down randomly with a variety of colors.
- Sprinkle with pomegranate arils (seeds) when the tree is complete.
- Toast the baguette slices and serve right away with the Christmas Tree Cheese Balls!
- Enjoy! [Serve with a knife if you prefer guests to cut in half.]
Tips & substitutions
- Use any kind of chopped nuts that you prefer.
- Optional to make the entire board “sweet” if you want it to be a dessert board (i.e roll in cookies, candy, coconut, etc.).
- Make in the shape of a wreath on a round board.
More about our 12×24’’ board?
- Get in on the sale right now and buy TWO of our 12×24’’ boards, and get $50 off!
- Add your products to the cart.
- At checkout, add this code: BUY2
- $50 will be deducted from your order!
Serving suggestions
For a well-rounded Christmas party spread, pair this appetizer with a charcuterie board, baked brie bread bowl, cinnamon orange roasted nuts, and a festive punch!
Storage
For best results, enjoy the Christmas Tree Cheese Balls fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Check out these other holiday appetizers while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Christmas Tree Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 8 8 oz blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 large baguette, thinly sliced
TOPPINGS:
- 2 cups bacon, cooked and finely chopped
- 2 cups pistachios, finely chopped
- 2 cups dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 2 cups finely chopped rosemary and parsley
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
- Pomegranate arils
Equipment
- 1 12×24” board
Instructions
- On 5 large plates, prep the 5 toppings and add to the plates for rolling.
- On a cutting board, remove the packaging from the cream cheese and cut each package into 8 even squares. Each piece will be about 1 oz of cream cheese.
- Roll the 64 pieces, using the palm of your hands, into small balls. Next, roll the balls in the 5 different ingredients. Repeat until all of the balls are covered.
- Starting at the bottom, lay the brown chocolate chip balls first to form a small trunk of the tree. Then start from the base of the tree adding the balls all the way up to the top where you will have 1 ball for the “tree topper.” Shape the balls like a tree, stacking them on top of each other. Optional to make a pattern, or randomly put them down in various colors.
- When the tree is complete, sprinkle with the pomegranate sees and serve!
- Toast the baguette slices and serve right away with the Christmas Tree Cheese Balls!
- Serves about 20.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
