Festive Goat Cheese Balls

When you're planning this year's holiday appetizer spread, keep it simple. Ree's festive happy hour snack only calls for four ingredients and is guaranteed to be the first to disappear at any soiree. In this recipe, the funky tartness of goat cheese is balanced with cream cheese, then the mixture is refrigerated until firm, about 15 minutes. From there, it's scooped into balls and rolled in dried cranberries and finely chopped pistachios. 

To make things easier, go with salted pistachios that have been shelled, or feel free to swap out them out for toasted pecans or walnuts. For the cheese mixture, finely chopped herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, or chives would add a wonderful freshness, and a bit of lemon zest would brighten things up. Though both additions are optional, as the recipe is perfect as written. 

How do you firm up a cheese ball?

You'll need to chill the cheese mixture until you're able to easily form balls that hold their shape. This should only take about 15 minutes but will depend on how warm your kitchen is. 

What is a cheese ball made of? 

Most cheese balls are made with a cream cheese base. Goat cheese is an excellent addition because it can easily hold its shape when chilled, but you can add shredded cheese, too.