Party Date Cheese Ball: A Crowd-Pleaser
A year ago, when we were in lockdown, I was quarantining with my parents and wanted to put together a nice dinner to pass the time and lift our spirits. I was thinking of our menu and got stuck on the hors d'oeuvres. I’ve always loved date rolls and thought that would serve as a terrific sweetener to a mild cheese combination. So, I stumbled across a 1:1 ratio of goat to cream cheese, which would complement the sweetness of the dates without dominating the flavor equation. Then, I added the textural crunch of the pecans to counterbalance the softness of the goat and cream cheeses. Voila! My date cheese ball—a showstopper—was born!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. soft goat cheese
- 2 oz. cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia’s
- 5 coconut & almond date rolls, store-bought (see photo above)
- ½ cup pecans
- To serve: Nonni’s THINaddictives Pistachio Almond Thin Cookies, available at Walmart, Safeway, or on Amazon
Directions
- Step 1 First, measure and spoon out both the cream and goat cheese, adding them to any medium mixing bowl. Then, coarsely chop the date rolls and add them to the same mixing bowl. With the back of a spoon, smash the date rolls and mix them with the goat and cream cheese until the dates dissolve and turn the cheese brown. Finally, toast the pecans if they’re frozen and not so fresh. Coarsely chop and spread them over the bottom of a second mixing bowl. For this, I use a square 8” x 8” Pyrex casserole dish.
- Step 2 Now, to assemble the cheese ball, gather your date/cheese mixture (from the first bowl under step 1) and form a large ball with your hands. Preserve this size if you’re only using one ball. Otherwise, divide the mixture in half and form two balls with your hands. Next, roll the ball/s over the pecans in the second dish (under step 1) and press the nuts into the balls. Note: if this gives you trouble, do the best you can, and just press the pecans into the balls with your hand.
- Step 3 Finally, arrange the cheese ball on a decorative plate and serve with Nonni’s cookies or another biscuit of your choice. Enjoy this appetizer as it is a sure crowd-pleaser!
With my party cheese ball, the sweetness of the coconut date rolls enhances the mild flavor of the goat and cream cheese. And the textural crunch of the pecans offsets the softness of the cheese. Serve with a biscuit and you have an unforgettable crowd-pleaser!
Nutritional Information (without biscuits): serving size: 47 g., servings per recipe: 6, calories: 165, total fat: 10.7g., saturated fat: 3.6 g., cholesterol: 13 mg., sodium: 85 mg., total carbohydrate: 16.5 g., dietary fiber: 2.1 g., total sugars: 14 g., protein: 3.5 g., calcium: 39 mg., iron: 0.7 mg., potassium: 186 mg., magnesium: 23 mg., vitamin D: 3 IU, vitamin C: 0.1 mg., vitamin B-1: 0 mg., folate: 7 µg.