I’m so excited to share my Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls recipe with you! These little bites are festive, easy to grab, and perfect for holiday parties. Creamy cheeses mixed with tart dried cranberries and crunchy pecans — rolled into tiny balls and speared with a pretzel — what’s not to love?
Level: Easy
Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Yield: ~30 mini cheese balls
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
I love appetizers that look fancy but are actually simple to make — these mini goat cheese balls fit that bill. They’re a mix of cream cheese, tangy goat cheese, and white cheddar, folded together with dried cranberries, pecans, and chives. I make a batch when friends are coming over because they’re quick to assemble and disappear fast.
This recipe is great because you can make it ahead, the flavors hold up well, and the little coated balls look really pretty arranged on a platter. I’ll walk you through everything step-by-step so you (and your guests!) get the same tasty result I do.
How to Make Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls
Here’s the big picture — what happens and why:
• Mix soft cheeses and grated cheddar so everything is smooth and easy to shape.
• Fold in chopped dried cranberries and pecans for sweet and crunchy contrast.
• Scoop uniform portions so each bite is the same size.
• Roll each scoop into a ball, then roll in one of the coatings (chives, pecans, or cranberries).
• Stick a pretzel into each ball for easy picking, chill, and serve.
This is a no-bake, no-oven recipe — mostly hands and a scoop.
Ingredients
• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 4 oz goat cheese (soft chevre)
• 4 oz white cheddar, finely grated
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives (plus extra for coating)
Coatings (set up in shallow bowls):
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
To serve:
• 30 pretzel sticks (optional — add just before serving if making far ahead)
• Assorted crackers or extra pretzels
Directions
- Prepare ingredients: Take the cream cheese out of the fridge so it softens (about 20–30 minutes if you have time). Finely grate the cheddar and chop the cranberries and pecans. Put the three coatings in separate shallow bowls.
- Mix the cheeses: In a large bowl, use a spatula or hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the goat cheese and beat until combined. Stir in the grated white cheddar until the mixture is even.
- Fold in mix-ins: Add the chopped cranberries, chopped pecans, and thinly sliced chives. Stir until the bits are distributed evenly through the cheese. Taste and adjust — a pinch more chives or a few extra cranberries is fine.
- Portion: Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) or a rounded teaspoon to scoop uniform portions. This makes the balls the same size and keeps the presentation neat.
- Shape: Roll each scoop gently between your palms to form a smooth ball. If the cheese is too sticky, wet your hands lightly.
- Coat: Roll each ball in the coating of your choice — chives, pecans, or cranberries — pressing lightly so the coating sticks. Place finished balls on a tray or platter.
- Add pretzels: If you’re serving right away (within a few hours), spear each ball with a pretzel stick for easy picking. If you’re making the tray more than 4 hours in advance, wait to put the pretzels in so they don’t soften.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the tray for at least 15–20 minutes to firm the balls, then bring them to the table. Serve with crackers or extra pretzels.
Process Details
• Why soften the cream cheese? Soft cream cheese blends smoothly with goat cheese and cheddar. If it’s too cold, the mixture will be lumpy and hard to shape.
• Why grate the cheddar? Grated cheddar blends into the mix without big chunks and helps give structure and a milder, familiar cheese flavor.
• Why chop the cranberries and pecans finely? Small pieces stick to the cheese better and give even flavor and texture in each bite.
• Why chill briefly? A short chill firms the balls so they hold their shape on a platter and don’t squish when guests pick them up.
Tips for Success
• Use high-quality cheeses — they really affect flavor here because there are only a few ingredients.
• Let the cream cheese sit out until it’s soft but not melted — that makes mixing easy.
• A small cookie scoop makes uniform balls fast and pretty. If you don’t have one, use two spoons to shape each ball.
• If your mixture feels too soft to hold shape, stir in a tablespoon more finely chopped pecans or chill the bowl for 10 minutes and try again.
• Don’t add pretzel sticks more than 3–4 hours before serving — they can get soft.
• Make them a day ahead if desired: form and coat the balls, cover tightly, refrigerate, then add pretzels before serving.
Serving Ideas
• Arrange the mini cheese balls on a wooden board with assorted crackers, sliced baguette, or pretzel twists.
• Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs (parsley or extra chives) and small bowls of jam or honey for guests who like a sweeter contrast.
• Pair with a charcuterie board — they’re a lovely bright spot among meats and pickles.
• For a kid-friendly option, swap pretzel sticks for small decorative toothpicks.
Storage & Freezing
• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep coated balls chilled until serving.
• Make-ahead: You can form and coat the balls up to 24 hours ahead. Wait to add pretzels until just before serving.
• Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing these — the texture of the cheeses and coatings changes after thawing.
Nutrition Info (Approximate per Mini Ball)
These values are estimates based on the ingredient amounts for the whole batch divided into ~30 balls:
• Calories: ~100 kcal
• Fat: ~9 g
• Protein: ~3 g
• Carbohydrates: ~3 g
(These are approximate values calculated from standard nutrition estimates — use as a rough guide.)
My Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls are one of those easy party wins: small work, big impact. I love how the tart cranberries and crunchy pecans contrast with the creamy cheeses, and they’re simple enough to make ahead. Give them a try for your next holiday spread — I bet they’ll be the first platter to disappear.