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Pine Cone Cheese Ball with Almonds Recipe

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5 from 60 reviews

This charming Pine Cone Cheese Ball with Almonds is a festive and savory appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings or special occasions. Cream cheese and light mayonnaise create a smooth, flavorful base mixed with smoky bacon, fresh green onion, and aromatic dill. Toasted almonds are carefully pressed into the cheese mixture to resemble pine cone scales, while rosemary sprigs add an elegant, pine-needle garnish. Serve chilled with crackers for a delightful and visually impressive starter.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Ball Mixture

  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
  • 5 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
  • 1 Tbsp diced green onion
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh dill weed
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Toppings and Garnish

  • 1 1/4 cups whole almonds, toasted
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) to prepare for toasting the almonds.
  2. Toast Almonds: Spread the whole almonds evenly on a baking pan. Bake them for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
  3. Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a food processor or blender, combine the softened cream cheese and light mayonnaise. Blend until smooth and well mixed, creating a creamy base.
  4. Add Flavorings: Transfer the cheese mixture to a bowl and gently stir in the crumbled cooked bacon, diced green onion, chopped fresh dill weed, and black pepper until evenly incorporated.
  5. Chill Mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the mixture overnight to allow flavors to meld and to firm up the cheese ball mixture.
  6. Shape Cheese Balls: Remove the chilled mixture from the refrigerator. Using your hands or a spoon, shape the mixture into two small pine cone shapes on your serving plate.
  7. Apply Almonds: Starting at the narrow end of each pine cone shape, press the toasted almonds into the cheese mixture at a slight angle. Arrange the almonds in overlapping rows to mimic the layered scales of a pine cone.
  8. Garnish: Insert fresh rosemary sprigs around and on top of the cheese balls to resemble pine needles, giving the cheese balls an authentic pine cone appearance.
  9. Serve: Present the pine cone cheese balls with crackers on the side for guests to enjoy as a delicious and visually appealing appetizer.

Notes

  • Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened at room temperature for easier blending.
  • To save time, bacon can be cooked in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
  • Fresh dill weed provides the best flavor; if unavailable, dried dill can be used but reduce quantity by half.
  • For added texture, almonds can be roughly chopped instead of whole, but whole almonds are preferred for the pine cone look.
  • Make sure to chill the cheese mixture thoroughly to make it easier to shape and to enhance flavors.
  • This cheese ball can be prepared a day ahead, making it perfect for entertaining.

Keywords: pine cone cheese ball, cheese ball appetizer, holiday appetizer, cream cheese appetizer, bacon cheese ball, toasted almonds, festive appetizer, party food

Find it online: https://platedandproud.com/pine-cone-cheese-ball-with-almonds-recipe/