• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Kiwi Country Girl logo

  • Start Here
    • Our story
    • Family
    • Travel
  • Recipe Index
  • Farm & Garden
    • Farm
    • In the garden
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Shop
  • Freebies
    • Free 1 Week Meal Plan
    • Bread Baking Ebook
  • Blog
  • Join The Kiwi Country Homestead
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Farm & Garden
  • DIY
  • About
  • Shop
  • Join The Kiwi Country Homestead
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » In the kitchen » Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath

    Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath

    Published: Dec 11, 2020 · Modified: Dec 19, 2022 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife
    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife
    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife

    A quick, easy & delicious Christmas appetizer that can be made in advance! Serve with crackers for the perfect way to feed a crowd!

    Disclaimer: This post is a paid partnership with Countdown Supermarkets. All content and opinions are my own.

    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife

    There is nothing like Christmas Day for spending time with family and friends, especially after the year we have had!

    But if you’ve just remembered that you’ve forgotten about a Christmas Day appetizer, don’t panic - my Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath is exactly what you need.

    All of the ingredients can be bought from Countdown in advance and you can even make the wreath and store in the fridge for a few days before you need it, meaning more time on Christmas Day for eating and spending time with family and friends.

    Ingredients for Christmas cheese ball

    Not only does it look the part, it’s a real crowd pleaser and thanks to Countdown’s great range of own brand products, it is a very affordable and easy way of providing snacks for a big group of people. Perfect for Christmas!

    The cheese ball mixture is cream cheese, feta, toasted pistachio nuts, dried cranberries, lemon juice & zest, balsamic vinegar, garlic and pepper.

    Mix it all together and form into a wreath using a lined ring cake tin if you have one, or directly on the serving plate with a small bowl turned upside down in the center to create the middle. Chill it in the fridge for a few hours or for a couple of days until you are ready to serve it.

    Christmas cheese ball wreath with cranberries and rosemary

    I used chopped fresh parsley and chives, dried cranberries and rosemary sprigs to make it look just like a wreath, but use whatever you like to make it your own. You can also play around with what you add into the cheese ball - I have a sneaking suspicion that a bit of bacon wouldn't go astray!

    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife
    Christmas cheese ball wreath on serving plate with crackers and knife

    Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath

    A quick, easy & delicious Christmas appetizer that can be made in advance! Serve with crackers for the perfect way to feed a crowd!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Chilling time: 2 hours
    Servings: 15
    Author: Laura

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup pistachio nuts
    • 450 grams cream cheese (2 x blocks at room temperature)
    • 400 grams feta
    • 4 teaspoons dijon mustard
    • 4 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
    • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • Ground black pepper to taste (be generous)

    To decorate

    • ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley & chives)
    • 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries (or red pepper, finely chopped)
    • Fresh rosemary sprigs

    Instructions

    • Line a ring cake tin with glad wrap and set aside. If you don't have a ring tin, you can place a small bowl upside down in the middle of the serving platter you will use and create the wreath around the bowl.
    • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F and place the pistachio nuts on a baking tray.
    • Bake for 8 minutes (keep a close eye on them around this time as they can burn quickly) and remove from the oven. Chop the nuts coarsely (or use a food processor) and set aside.
    • Using a stand or hand held mixer (or a bowl and wooden spoon) beat the softened cream cheese and feta until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and combine.
    • Spoon the cheese ball mixture into the prepared tin. Spread into an even layer using light pressure to ensure the mixture holds together. Cover and place in the fridge for 3 hours (or longer) to chill.
    • Remove from the fridge, uncover and invert onto the serving plate. Use a spatula or knife to smooth the edges.
    • Sprinkle with the chopped fresh herbs and garnish with dried cranberries, red peppers or pomegranate arils (anything red) and fresh rosemary sprigs.
    • Serve with crackers or toasted bread. Cheese ball can be made 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 409mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 532IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag @thekiwicountrygirl or tag #thekiwicountrygirl!

    « DIY Santa Sack Tutorial
    A Beginners Guide to Bottling/Canning Food »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barb says

      December 27, 2020 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      My daughter in law made this recipe for Christmas and Boxing day. Absolutely beautiful. Hubby's comments, best he's ever had! My daughter in law sent me the link, so it will definitely be a must in the future for me. Highly recommended.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Laura!

    I live on a farm in rural New Zealand with my husband Josh, our kids Sadie, Macey & Finlay and our black lab Sage. We're all about simple & delicious, family friendly recipes that are made from scratch as well as tasty treats! Read More…

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Multi Cooker Recipes

    Bowl of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread

    Bacon Hock and Vegetable Soup (slow cooker and instant pot)

    White rice in a bowl with Crock Pot Multi cooker

    Multi Cooker Rice (Instant Pot)

    Shredded chipotle chicken in a bowl

    Multi Cooker Shredded Chipotle Chicken (instant pot or slow cooker)

    Plate of hard boiled eggs

    Multi Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs (Instant Pot)

    Pan of devilled sausages with mashed potato

    Devilled Sausages

    Whole pumpkin in instant pot/multi cooker

    Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree (Multi Cooker)

    Popular Recipes

    Pan of devilled sausages with mashed potato

    Devilled Sausages

    Overhead of bowl with potato salad, chives and tea towel in background

    Easy Potato Salad Recipe

    Homemade beef burger with fries in the background

    Homemade Burger Patties (Josh's secret recipe)

    Close up of scoop of cheesy mince pasta with herbs on top

    Cheesy One Pan Mince Pasta

    My all time favourite Carrot Cake recipe - loaded with grated carrot, crushed pineapple and crunchy walnuts and smothered in cream cheese frosting, this will become your favourite carrot cake recipe too! | thekiwicountrygirl.com

    My Favourite Carrot Cake Recipe

    Homemade Burrito Spice Mix (or taco seasoning) - the perfect blend of spices to make your favourite Mexican meal in minutes! Perfect for beef burritos, nachos, chicken strips for tacos, refried beans or anything Mexican! | thekiwicountrygirl.com

    Homemade Burrito Spice Mix (with free printable labels)

    • Recipe Index
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact me

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As a Mighty Ape Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    113 shares
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Print