Pumpkin Cheese Ball

By Becky Hardin

Published Oct 22, 2023

The best pumpkin cheese ball with crackers and crackers. - 3

Pumpkin cheese ball with crackers and crackers. - 5

This festive Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe is the perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving, Halloween, or any fall party. A savory cream cheese ball is shaped like a pumpkin then coated with bacon and pecans. It’s so cute, easier to make than it looks, and it’s sure to impress party guests!

Pumpkin cheese ball on a cutting board with crackers. - 6

What’s in this Pumpkin Cheese Ball Recipe?

If you’re looking for a fun and festive cheese ball appetizer for Halloween or Thanksgiving, this is it! This pumpkin shaped cheese ball is as flavorful as it is beautiful. I guarantee your guests will be begging for the recipe!

Cream Cheese: Forms the base of our cheese ball, helping it hold its shape once chilled.
Cheddar Cheese: Adds delicious sharp and cheesy flavor.
Garlic + Onion Powder: Enhances the savory flavor of this cheese ball.
Green Onions: Add a pop of freshness to the cheese ball.
Black Pepper: Adds a hint of spice.
Cooked Bacon: Adds delicious flavor and creates a crunchy crust on the outside.
Toasted Pecans: Add a nutty flavor and crunch!

Pro Tip: Use the stem from a mini pumpkin or a bell pepper to create a stem for your cheese ball.

Variations on a Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball

You can change up the flavor of this fall cheese ball by using different kinds of cheese, like sharp cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey jack, gouda, Swiss, or provolone. Try adding different spice blends to the mix to bring out a different flavor, like Italian seasoning ! To keep this dish vegetarian, simply omit the bacon and use more pecans.

A collage of photos showing the process of making a pumpkin shaped cheese ball. - 7

Yes! The inclusion of cream cheese means this pumpkin cheese ball should be stored in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness.

Your cheese ball will firm up in the refrigerator, which can make it difficult to spread. I recommend letting it sit out at room temperature for a bit before serving.

I recommend letting your cheese ball sit out for 20-30 minutes at room temperature so that it’s easier to spread.

This pumpkin shaped cheese ball will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Wrap the ball carefully in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. Do not leave your cheese ball out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

If your cheese ball is too wet, it probably needs to be chilled for longer. Try refrigerating it for an extra hour or even overnight. If that doesn’t firm it up, add a little extra shredded cheese to the mixture.

I like to serve mine with crackers or pretzels, but you could also serve it with raw vegetables or crusty bread!

A pumpkin cheese ball with a variety of crackers on a serving board. - 8

How to Store

Store your pumpkin cheese ball tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.

How to Freeze

Freeze a pumpkin cheese ball tightly wrapped in 1 layer of plastic wrap and 2 layers of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this tasty pumpkin shaped cheese ball with crackers, pretzels, tortilla chips , wonton chips , baked sweet potato chips , raw vegetables, or crusty bread (I love this Dutch oven bread !). Add some pumpkin hummus or this cream cheese pumpkin dip to the table for even more dipping options.

Pumpkin cheese ball on a wooden board with crackers. - 9

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 bricks)
▢ 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
▢ 3 green onions chopped
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ 5 slices bacon cooked until very crispy
▢ ¾ cup toasted pecans
▢ Stem from a mini pumpkin or bell pepper
▢ Crackers or pretzels for serving

Instructions

Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. 16 ounces cream cheese
Add in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, green onions, and black pepper. 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 3 green onions, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Beat again until smooth.
Use a spatula to gather the cheese together into the middle of the bowl.
Lightly oil your hands. Then, form the cheese into a ball.
Wrap the ball in plastic wrap. Then, secure 4 pieces of kitchen twine or rubber bands around the ball, crossing at the top and middle of the ball.
Chill the ball in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Add the bacon slices, and pecans to a food processor. Pulse until they reach a crumb-like consistency. 5 slices bacon, ¾ cup toasted pecans
Unwrap the cheese ball, and use your hands to gently coat it in the pecan and bacon crumbs.
Place the stem on the top of the cheese ball. Stem from a mini pumpkin or bell pepper
Serve with crackers and pretzels. Crackers or pretzels

Equipment

Hand Mixer
Food Processor

Becky’s Tips

If your cheese ball is too wet, it probably needs to be chilled for longer. Try refrigerating it for an extra hour or even overnight. If that doesn’t firm it up, add a little extra shredded cheese to the mixture.
I recommend letting your cheese ball sit out for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving so that it’s easier to spread.
Do not leave your cheese ball out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Cheese Ball Recipes We Love

Classic Cheese Ball
Everything Bagel Cheese Ball
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
Christmas Cheese Ball
Mini Cheese Ball Bites

Pumpkin cheese ball on a cutting board with crackers. - 10

Pumpkin Cheese Ball Recipe

Equipment

Hand Mixer
Food Processor

Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 bricks)
2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 green onions chopped
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
5 slices bacon cooked until very crispy
¾ cup toasted pecans
Stem from a mini pumpkin or bell pepper
Crackers or pretzels for serving

Instructions

Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. 16 ounces cream cheese
Add in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, green onions, and black pepper. 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 3 green onions, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Beat again until smooth.
Use a spatula to gather the cheese together into the middle of the bowl.
Lightly oil your hands. Then, form the cheese into a ball.
Wrap the ball in plastic wrap. Then, secure 4 pieces of kitchen twine or rubber bands around the ball, crossing at the top and middle of the ball.
Chill the ball in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Add the bacon slices, and pecans to a food processor. Pulse until they reach a crumb-like consistency. 5 slices bacon, ¾ cup toasted pecans
Unwrap the cheese ball, and use your hands to gently coat it in the pecan and bacon crumbs.
Place the stem on the top of the cheese ball. Stem from a mini pumpkin or bell pepper
Serve with crackers and pretzels. Crackers or pretzels

Notes

If your cheese ball is too wet, it probably needs to be chilled for longer. Try refrigerating it for an extra hour or even overnight. If that doesn’t firm it up, add a little extra shredded cheese to the mixture.
I recommend letting your cheese ball sit out for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving so that it’s easier to spread.
Do not leave your cheese ball out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!