This Pineapple Cheese Ball is the perfect recipe for your party. This easy spin on the classic cheese ball recipe is our new favorite!
Cheese Balls are one of my very favorite appetizers to make. They are easy to make, but you can make them in so many different flavors, as you can see in my Cheese Ball Recipes round up.
In this Pineapple Cheese Ball, we are using crushed pineapple and several different ingredients that work perfectly with it. It is this delightful mixture of savory and sweet. This cheese ball recipe makes a perfect holiday appetizer.
How to Make a Cheese Ball With Pineapple
A sweet and savory twist on the classic cheese ball recipe we all love, this pineapple cheese ball is a delicious addition to your appetizer lineup.
- Blend your cream cheese. Make sure it is room temperature and blend until smooth using a hand mixer
- Add other ingredients. To the cream cheese, you will want to add the shredded white cheddar cheese, crushed pineapple, green onions, roasted red peppers, and garlic powder.
- Make it into a ball. Place the mixture into the middle of a large piece of saran wrap. Use the plastic wrap and form it into a ball.
- Chill the cheese ball. Place the cheese ball in the refrigerator to chill for 8 hours.
- Add pecans and serve. Once chilled, remove the saran wrap and coat the cheese ball with the pecans.
Draining Pineapple
A key to this recipe is to drain the pineapple really well. I highly recommend using a fine mesh strainer like the one you see linked below. Pour the can of pineapple into the sieve and then gently push it down until you can’t get anymore liquid out of it. This will make the cheese ball easier to roll.
Fine Mesh Strainer
How to Roll a Cheese Ball
Like other easy cheese ball recipes, this pineapple cheese ball will come together beautifully with a few simple tips when rolling it. The cream cheese mixture will be very sticky after it is mixed. Do your best to pull it together into a ball-like shape before putting it on the plastic wrap. Next, pull the plastic wrap around the mixture and roll it into a ball within the plastic wrap once it is completely covered.
When you take off the plastic wrap, there will be dents and creases from it in the cheese ball, but don’t worry about that. You are going to be covering the cheese ball with a topping that will hide it.
Alternatives to Pecans
If you are serving someone with a nut allergy, you will want to make this easy cheese ball recipe without pecans. Below are some alternatives for what to roll a cream cheese ball in. I suggest mixing and matching them.
- Fresh parsley
- Diced green onions
- Minced chives
- Diced roasted red peppers
- Bacon bits
- Toasted breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese
What to Serve With your Cheese Ball
I like to serve cheese balls with a variety of crackers and a knife for spreading it. You could also put out vegetables like carrots and celery. The longer it sits out the easier it will be to spread. Please keep in mind that your cheese ball should not sit out for longer than two hours before returning to the refrigerator.
Storing
Store your pineapple cheese ball in the refrigerator for up to three days. Since it needs to chill overnight or for at least eight hours, this is a great recipe to make the day before so that it is ready to go as your guests arrive. Set it out a few minutes before guests arrive to soften the cheese ball for easy serving.
I do not recommend freezing cheese balls.
Other Cheese Ball Recipes
We have a list of 30 Cheese Ball Recipes. You find all sorts of delicious cheese balls that everyone will love. We also have these great twists:
If you try this pineapple cheese ball recipe or any of my other easy cheese ball recipes, leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Pineapple Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (454 grams)
- 1 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese shredded (169.5 grams)
- 8.25 ounces crushed pineapple drained very well, see my tips here (234 grams before draining)
- 1/4 cup green onions diced small
- 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers drained very well and diced small (37.2 grams)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 cup toasted pecans (or candied) chopped small, if you are serving someone with a nut allergy, please see my list of alternatves (85.5 grams)
Instructions
- In a large bowl beat the cream cheese. Then mix in the cheese, pineapple, green onions, peppers, and garlic powder.16 ounces cream cheese, 1 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, 8.25 ounces crushed pineapple, 1/4 cup green onions, 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Spread out a large piece of saran wrap. Place the mixture into the middle of it and use the plastic wrap to form it into a ball. Chill for 8 hours.
- Before serving, remove the saran wrap then coat the cheese ball with the pecans making sure that the nuts completely coat the outside of the pineapple cheeseball3/4 cup toasted pecans (or candied)
Joyce says
what kind of crackers are those. they look good too.
Nut thins!