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This fun Halloween Cheese Ball, shaped like a ghost, makes a showstopping appetizer this spooky season. It’s almost too cute to eat and surprisingly easy!
All you need is your favorite cream cheese (I used a garlic-and-herb one), grated cheddar cheese, and crackers.
Serve the cheese ball at your next Halloween party. It’s the perfect alternative to a pumpkin cheese ball, which you’ve likely seen around.
Don’t Like Ghosts?
Try my skull cheese ball for a different presentation.
Halloween Cheese Ball Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Cream cheese: Garlic and herb flavored, or plain.
- Cheddar cheese: To sprinkle on top of the ghost. I prefer a mild cheddar and like to grate it finely.
- Mozzarella: You only need a small piece for the eyes. Swap for cheddar if that’s easier.
- Black olive: For the pupils and the mouth (you’ll need a metal straw and a sharp knife to shape the details).
- Red bell pepper: For the hat.
- Crackers: To serve. I like to offer a variety.
How to Make a Halloween Cheese Ball
- Shape the ghost cheese ball with the help of a piece of cling film. Arrange the cheese ball onto your serving platter.
- Shred the cheddar and scatter it onto the ghost.
- Prepare the eyes and mouth details made with mozzarella and olive. Add the crackers.
- Cut out the red pepper hat and place it on top of the cheese ball. Serve.
Possible Variations
- Cream cheese: Use any cream cheese you like. If it’s too soft to shape, add grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese a tablespoon at a time, until it can hold its shape.
- Cheddar: Try sharp cheddar cheese, pecorino, or similar hard cheeses.
- Eyes: Swap mozzarella for cheddar, or use candy eyes, black olives, peppercorns, cucumber peel, or black sesame seeds.
- Red bell pepper: Try jalapeños or a cucumber slice for the hat. Or omit.
- Mix-ins: Bacon, chives, caramelized onion, garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, green onion, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, Worcestershire sauce, or chopped nuts.
- Crackers: Crostini, crudités, croustades, or baguette.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep any leftover cheese in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy with in 2 days.
FAQs
Yes, in fact it’s even better after a few hours. Cover it with cling film and store it in the refrigerator. Take it out 30 minutes before serving so it comes to room temperature.
Add a few tablespoons of grated cheddar or Parmesan to the cheese mixture until it’s easier to work with. Or stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
Add pine nut teeth, shape the eyes into a slant for a spookier look, and add plastic spiders.
Place the cream cheese directly on your serving platter. Use a wetted spoon or knife to help you shape the ghost. Keep wetting it every time it’s getting too sticky.
More Halloween Appetizers
Halloween
Halloween Party Appetizers
Halloween
Halloween Finger Foods
Halloween
Halloween Toast
Halloween
Mummy Sausage Rolls
If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Foodbites, then I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment and rating below.
Halloween Cheese Ball
Equipment
- plastic wrap clingfilm
Ingredients
- 200 grams garlic cream cheese
- 40 grams cheddar cheese
- 1 black olive
- 1 fresh mozzarella
- 200 grams crackers
- 1 red bell pepper
Instructions
- Spoon the cream cheese onto a piece of plastic wrap.
- Shape the cheese into a ghost shape (it helps to have wet hands).
- Seal the ghost tightly in the wrap.
- If the cheese ball is very soft, place it in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Grate the cheddar cheese finely.
- Arrange the ghost cheese ball on a serving platter.
- Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- To make the eyes, slice a piece of cheddar or mozzarella.
- Cut out the eyes with the oval-shaped cutter.
- Use a metal straw and an olive for the pupils.
- Cut a thin strip of olive for the mouth.
- Arrange the details onto the ghost.
- To make the hat, slice the bumpy top off a bell pepper.
- Remove the pepper stem carefully.
- Trim the pepper into a neat piece and cut a small indent to allow space for the stem.
- Place the hat on top of the ghost.
- Serve with crackers or chopped veggies.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
