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–+ servings
mini cheese balls with bacon and pretzels on sticks.
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4.68 from 81 votes

Mini Cheese Ball Bites

Mini Cheese Ball Bites are the perfect easy appetizer to serve at holiday parties. These tasty little cheese balls are made with dried fruit and cream cheese, rolled in bacon or nuts, and finished off with a pretzel stick. Make these Mini Cheese Ball Bites for a New Year's Eve appetizer or any simple gathering!
Prep Time10 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cheese balls
Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature or softened
  • ¾ cup freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
  • ¾ cup dried fruit i used a mix of dried apricots, cherrys, and cranberries. you could use all three or use them individually
  • 1-1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1½ cups mixed nuts finely chopped
  • 1½ cups bacon crumbles
  • 12 medium-sized pretzel sticks

Instructions

  • Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, cheddar, fruit, and herbs together until smooth.
    8 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup freshly shredded white cheddar cheese, ¾ cup dried fruit, 1-1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
    A glass bowl filled with a cream cheese mixture.
  • Form into tablespoon-sized balls and place on a baking sheet. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
    Mini cheese balls lined up on a baking sheet.
  • Roll each cheese ball in either bacon or nuts (or both!), pressing them lightly into the cheese so that they stick.
    1½ cups mixed nuts, 1½ cups bacon crumbles
    A cheese ball in chopped nuts.
  • Keep covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve (I think they are best served very cold. I would recommend keeping them in the fridge overnight before serving).
    Cheese ball bites lined up on a baking sheet.
  • Just before serving, skewer each cheese ball with a pretzel. Enjoy!
    12 medium-sized pretzel sticks

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions: Use your favorite nuts (mixed nuts, pistachios, candied walnuts, pecans, toasted almonds); any dried fruit (apricots, cherries, cranberries, mango); another type of seasoning (garlic & onion powder, everything bagel seasoning, herbs de Provence); or another coating (breadcrumbs, dried herbs, dried fruit or nuts, crumbled crackers, sesame seeds). 
Storage: Store mini cheese ball bites covered or in an airtight container, in the fridge up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cheese ball | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg