THE BEST PUMPKIN-SHAPED CHEESEBALL (2024)

This Pumpkin-Shaped Cheeseball is made with creamy, delicious, ranch-style filling covered in cheese! It’s the best! Perfect for Halloween or Thanksgiving.

AN EASY BUT IMPRESSIVE APPETIZER

I don’t know about y’all but I love a good cheeseball. I mean, cheese. In a ball. Need I say more? What’s not to love? Cheese and crackers are a simple treat we all love. If I see a cheeseball on any food spread, I am heading straight to it. With this recipe, I knew I wanted to create a pumpkin shaped cheeseball for all those fall festivities but I didn’t necessarily want pumpkin flavor. I wanted a true cheeseball.

PUMPKIN SHAPE – NOT PUMPKIN FLAVORED

This is a delicious veggie, creamy cheeseball that is perfect served with crackers or vegetable sticks. It is an absolute hit everywhere I take it. Everyone will want the recipe – trust me!

A HUGE HIT AT EVERY PARTY

You don’t even have to form it into a pumpkin shape. The taste alone will make it a hit at your next gathering. It’s not just cute – it is delicious! What I love most is being able to make it ahead of time. You can get it all prepped and ready to go, wrap it in plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge. Also, it’s super important to use freshly grated cheese! It is stickier than the pre-shredded kind and that helps when forming the cheeseball.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR PUMPKIN-SHAPED CHEESEBALL: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

• cream cheese
• vegetable cream cheese
• Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch mix
• green onions
• red pepper
• freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

HOW TO MAKE A PUMPKIN-SHAPED CHEESEBALL:

Finely chop the red pepper and green onion. You want small pieces, not big chunks.Be sure to save the stem of the red pepper. It’s going to be our pumpkin stem! I just wrap the stem up in a slightly dampened paper towel and wrap that up in some Plastic wrapand put it in the fridge until I’m ready for it.

Using an electric or stand mixer, combine both cream cheeses.

Nest, stir in 2 tablespoons of Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch mix. Note: This was not spicy in this cheeseball at all. It just gave it a small kick of flavor.You can always use theHidden Valley Original Ranchflavor for this!

Then gently stir in green onion and red pepper.

I love the orange-ish color the Spicy Ranch Mix and red pepper adds to the mixture.

Finally, stir in one cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

Spread out a large sheet of plastic wrap. Sprinkle about a 1/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese onto the plastic wrap.

Then top with cheeseball mixture.

Take the rest of the shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle it onto the tops and sides of the cheese ball.

I do two layers of cling wrap. It needs to be well-wrapped and wrapped tightly.

Now, time to wrap it up with rubber bands. You can also use kitchen twine for this. You will need 4 large rubber bands. This is why it’s important to have a tightly wrapped cheeseball with two layers. We don’t want any cheeseball mix squeezing out while we’re putting on the rubber bands. (Ask me how I know.) With these rubber bands, I had to double wrap each one to get those long indentations we’re looking for to make the pumpkin shape. You can also use kitchen twine for this if that makes it easier for you.

Place cheeseball into the fridge for a minimum of two hours (overnight is best.) Not only do the flavors get better as it sits, but as the mixture cools, it will help it to form that pumpkin shape.When ready, cut off the rubber bands and carefully remove the cling wrap.Then add on the red pepper stem to the top. Just gently push it in there.Serve with your favorite buttery crackers.

Got leftovers? No problem. Just pop your leftover cheeseball into a tall and large Glad entree container and you’ll have it ready to snack on for later!

CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!

• Pineapple Cheeseball (+Video)
• Dried Beef Cheese Ball
• Jalapeño Popper Cheese Ball
• Pumpkin Shaped Cheeseball
• Turkey Dessert Cheese Ball
• Mini Cheeseballs
• Christmas Tree Shaped Cheeseball
• Rudolph Christmas Cheese Ball
• Mason Jar Lid Pumpkins
• Turkey Cake Balls
• Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

Originally published: November 2015
Updated & republished: October 2019