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If you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer, make this Turkey Cheese Ball. It is fun and festive and easy to make.
This Thanksgiving turkey cheeseball is loaded with flavor and easy to make. Turkey cheeseball is the perfect appetizer to serve on Thanksgiving with all your favorite dippers.
If you love making Turkey shaped recipes, like I do. You should try our Turkey Pancakes for breakfast or Thanksgiving Turkey Charcuterie Board. Another appetizer this holiday is this Baked Brie in Puff Pastry.
Table of Contents
Why Make this Cheese Ball:
This Thanksgiving Turkey cheese ball can be made in a variety of ways. Get creative and impress your guest this holiday season. It is the perfect centerpiece or appetizer and always a crowd favorite.
Ingredients:
Serves: 10
- Cream Cheese (softened)
- Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- Small Corner from a Cheddar Cheese Block
- Ranch Dip Mix (1 ounce)
- Garlic Powder
- Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- Large Pretzels
- Mini Pretzels
- Stick Pretzels
- Candy Eyes
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe in the recipe card.
Cheese Ball Recipe Turkey Variation Ideas:
- Seasoning – Feel free to change the seasoning to what you prefer. You can easily add in salt, parsley, or worcestershire sauce.
- Vegetables – To change the decorations of the cheese ball. You can add in red pepper, onion, yellow bell pepper and green onions.
- Bacon Bits – Instead of cooking bacon, you can substitute with bacon bits.
- Nuts – Feel free to add in nuts such as pecan halves, chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Candy Corn – You can use candy corn to make the turkey faces as a substitute.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 – In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, ranch dip mix and garlic powder. Mix with a electric mixer or a stand mixer until creamy and smooth. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and ⅓ cup chopped bacon.
Step 2 – Remove approximately ¼ cup of the mixture from the bowl and set aside. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Place the mixture into the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic wrap around the mixture and roll the ball shape.
Step 3 – Then roll both of the cheese balls in the remaining chopped bacon. Coat the outside of the cheese balls with bacon.
Step 4 – Use a pretzel rod to secure the smaller ball. This secures it to the large cheese ball for the turkey head.
- Step 5 – Place the candy eyes and the corner of the cheddar cheese block on the front of the small cheese ball. This forms the turkey’s face and turkey beak.
- Step 6 – Use the large pretzels, mini pretzels and pretzel sticks to make the tail of the turkey ball. Place toward the back of the large cheese ball to make the turkey feathers.
- Step 7 – Refrigerate until ready to serve. Then serve with your favorite crackers on a large platter. Enjoy!
Cheese Ball Turkey Recipe Tips:
- Softened Cream Cheese – We recommend starting this cheese with softened cream cheese. This helps to mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Combining Ingredients – We recommend using a hand held mixer or stand mixer to ensure all the ingredients are combined.
- Shredded Cheese – Shred the cheese from hunk cheese for best results. There is no added ingredients in hunk cheese.
- Chill Cream Cheese Mixture – Make sure all mixture to chill in the fridge for at least an hour to harden.
What to Serve with Turkey Cheese Ball?
Serve the cheese ball with all your favorite dippers on a serving plate.
- Ritz Crackers
- Club Crackers
- Pretzels
- Raw Vegetables
How to Store Leftovers:
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
More Easy Cheese Ball Recipes:
If you make this turkey cheese ball recipe, make sure to leave us a comment or star review. We love hearing from you.
Turkey Cheese ball
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 Small Corner from a Cheddar Cheese Block
- 1 pkg Ranch Dip Mix 1 ounce
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 10 slices Bacon cooked and crumbled
- 5 Large Pretzels
- 5 Mini Pretzels
- 5-10 Stick Pretzels
- 2 Candy Eyes
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, ranch dip mix and garlic powder with a hand held mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and ⅓ cup chopped bacon.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour to harden the mixture.
- Remove approximately ¼ cup of the mixture from the bowl and set aside.
- Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Place the remaining mixture into the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic wrap around the mixture and roll the shape into a ball. Follow the same process with the smaller section of the mixture.
- Then roll both of the cheese balls in the remaining chopped bacon to coat the outside of the cheese balls with bacon.
- Use a pretzel rod to secure the smaller bowl to the large cheese ball for the head of the turkey. Place the candy eyes and the corner of the cheddar cheese block on the front of the small cheese ball to form the turkey’s face.
- Use the large pretzels, mini pretzels and pretzel sticks to make the tail of the turkey ball toward the back of the large cheese ball.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve and serve with your favorite crackers. Enjoy!
