Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

It's giving grandma's house vibes, plus our Thanksgiving Cooking Class recording and recipes

The name of the game right now is to plan ahead, prep ahead, and make ahead. There’s always so much to do on Thanksgiving Day; I want you to feel relaxed and savor the moment.

Cheese balls are such a Southern grandma appetizer and there’s nothing wrong with that. They’re dangerous because the flavors meld into something addictive and intoxicating. Make this a day ahead and you’ll be set with a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving appetizer. Add some bowls of marinated olives and slightly spicy mixed nuts and you’re good to go.

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Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

• ½ cup finely chopped pecans

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (use block, not whipped)

• 8 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar (I like to use sharp aged white cheddar)

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• ¹/₃ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

• 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ¼ cup finely chopped green onions, about 4 or 5 (green part only)

• Dash of Tabasco or cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Optional garnish: Chopped fresh Italian parsley and Maldon sea salt

• For serving: Crackers or baguette slices, endive spears, apple slices

In the base of a food processor, pulse the pecans in on/off bursts to chop them. You can also chop them by hand. Remove the pecans to a dinner plate and set aside. There's no need to rinse or wipe out the bowl; pop it back on the base and keep going! Add the remaining ingredients, except the optional garnish, to the food processor bowl. Pulse to combine well. You can also combine the ingredients by hand in a bowl; just mix them well.

Form into a ball and then roll in chopped pecans to evenly coat the outside. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and Maldon sea salt, if you’d like. TIP: If the mixture feels wet and won’t hold its shape, before rolling it in the pecans, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then unwrap the cheese ball, make sure it’s in a rounded ball, and roll it in the pecans to coat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with crackers, endive spears and tart apple slices.

Note:  You can make this 2-3 days ahead, but wait to roll in pecans until the day it’s served. Pecans can be finely chopped beforehand, but store them separately at room temperature.

Below is the printable Cranberry Pecan Ball recipe to print or save, along with our Thanksgiving Cooking Class recording for subscribers and recipes for Shortcut Stuffing, Lemon and Thyme Turkey Breast and Meyer Lemon Cranberry Sauce.