This Cranberry and Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball is sure to be a holiday hit. A make ahead cheese ball filled with cream cheese, cured goat cheese, dried cranberries, salted pistachios, finely diced onions and some fresh parsley.
Cheese balls make a great addition to any entertaining. And this Cranberry and Pistachio Goat’s Cheese Ball is perfect for your holiday table. This cheese ball is great served with crackers, as a topping for bruschettas or with a vegetable platter.
Why you Should Make The Cheese Ball
- Easy to make – This cheese ball is easy to make and doesn’t use a whole lot of ingredients.
- Make a pretty centerpiece – Will look great on a charcuterie board and make a great centerpiece for all your other ingredients.
- Can be made in advance – Cheese balls can be made up to two weeks in advance! Just leave the coating off until you are ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 8 oz goats cheese soft
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 Cup pistachios chopped
- 1/2 Cup dried cranberries chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- Small bunch of fresh parsley, about 2 tablespoons
REMEMBER, The full recipe and ingredient list is found at the the end of the post in the recipe card.
instructions
- In a large bowl combine the goats cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic powder and salt.
- Mix the cheese on high speed with your electric mixer until smooth, about one minute.
- Add half of the pistachios, half of the cranberries, the onions and parsley (reserving a little). Stir well to combine. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- In a bowl toss together the remaining pistachios, cranberries and chopped parsley. Roll the cheese ball in the mixture until it is completely coated.
- Serve with crackers, bread sticks or crisp bread.
Tips For Making The Cranberry & Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball
- Refrigerate – It’s important to refrigerate cheese balls after you make them. This will allow them to firm up and set. If making a large cheese ball, wrap it in cling film, shape it and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Coat before serving – If you would like the coating to be fresh and crisp, it’s best to roll the cheese ball in the coating just before serving.
- Make in advance – Yes, you can make and store cheese balls in the fridge well before serving. You can prepare, wrap and store your cheese ball up to a week before serving. Great for holiday planning!
Substitutions
- Cheese – I used soft goat cheese and cream cheese for this recipe. You could use Mascarpone, blue cheese, Brie or Camembert.
- Nuts – Pistachios were used for this recipe. You can use pecans, almonds, cashews or hazelnuts.
- Dried cranberries – Don’t use fresh berries in this recipe, they won’t work as well. You could use other dried berries or fruits if you like.I don’t recommend fresh cranberries for this recipe. Make sure to use the dried kind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cheese balls will keep up to two weeks if stored properly in the refrigerator. Make sure they are tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
Yes, you can freeze cheese balls. However, you have to be careful to freeze it correctly or it will risk drying out. Cheese balls are best frozen without the outer coating. Wrap them tightly and place in a freezer proof zip-lock bag. Freeze up to one month. Allow to defrost in the fridge. Coat the cheese ball when it has defrosted.
You can serve cheese balls with crackers, crisp bread, pretzels, a vegetable platter or anything else you might like.
Get the recipe!
Cranberry and Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 8 oz goat cheese soft
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 Cup pistachios chopped
- 1/2 Cup dried cranberries chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 small onion finely diced
- Small bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the goats cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic powder and salt.
- Mix the cheese on high speed with your electric mixer until smooth, about one minute.
- Add half of the pistachios, half of the cranberries, the onions and parsley (reserving a little). Stir well to combine. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- In a bowl toss together the remaining pistachios, cranberries and chopped parsley. Roll the cheese ball in the mixture until it is completely coated.
- Serve with crackers, bread sticks or crisp bread.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You soon!
This is so good. And so great for a party.
The lemon adds so much to this recipe!
Thank you.
They turned out perfect!
Happy you tired it out. We enjoyed it at the party, thanks!