Soft Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball – Best Easy Recipe

Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball is essentially savory cream cheese shaped into a ball and served with any and all sorts of crackers. 

A deliciously perfect appetizer, snack, or side, great for any day of the week but especially around the holidays!

Looking for the perfect party appetizer for your next party? Look no further, we’ve got you covered.

Also, this is an easy make-ahead appetizer; simply wait to add the garnish until just before serving!

This is one of our favorite cheese ball recipes around here, a real crowd pleaser too, and we think you’ll love it.

Some basic, simple ingredients and a little pocket of time is all you’ll need to whip up a cheese ball for dinner.

Around here, no Thanksgiving dinner or holiday party is complete without a cheeseball of some sort.

(We’ll often have them at Christmas time too!) 

Alas, it is neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas time (holiday season is a ways off!) and I am making cheeseball simply because I’m hungry for it.

We’ve got all the supplies on hand for this simple recipe so I won’t even need to run to the grocery store. 

I think this savory cheese ball will pair nicely with the ham balls, Cheesy Potatoes, and beans I plan to make for dinner.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

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Seven Simple Ingredients

Cream cheese – regular, unflavored cream cheese is the base for this wonderful cheeseball.

Sour cream – full fat sour cream.

Ranch dressing – adds the delightful classic Ranch seasoning flavor.

Garlic powder – enhance that garlic flavor already present in the Ranch.

Cheddar cheese – shredded mild cheddar cheese goes great with the Ranch flavor as well (or sharp cheddar cheese is also amazing!).

Parsley flakes – add a garnish of dried parsley flakes (mostly for looks!) but also for flavor.

And…crackers. Your choice of crackers. There are so many different kinds to choose from! Here’s our list of favorite crackers: Ritz crackers, Chicken-in-a-biskit crackers, Club crackers, Wheat Thins, or Breton crackers.

Find the full recipe on the recipe card below!

Supplies

• Mixing bowl – a medium size bowl to contain the cheeseball mixture.
• Spatula – a silicone or rubber spatula is essential when working with food in the kitchen (at least in my opinion!).
• Electric handheld mixer – to whip up the cheese ball mixture; we use our hand mixer alot in our kitchen and wouldn’t want to be without it.
• Grater – it’s always a good idea to grate your own cheese.
• Measuring cups and spoons, of course – you’ll need these to measure the ingredients unless you’d rather eyeball it, that’s ok too!

(We linked the ones we use and like or something very similar!)

How to make Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

You’ll want to get the cream cheese out ahead of time so it has time to come to room temperature for easier mixing.

In a mixing bowl, place the following ingredients: softened cream cheese, sour cream, Ranch dressing, shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder.

Take a handheld electric mixer and thoroughly mix the ingredients in the mixing bowl.

Transfer the cheeseball mixture to the plate or serving bowl of your choice and shape into a big ball shape.

Garnish with a dusting of dried parsley flakes. 

Serve with your choice of crackers. Enjoy!

How do I store my Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball?

Store the cheese ball in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you used a regular plate like we did, simply cover the cheese ball tightly with a large piece of plastic wrap!

This is a soft cheese ball, so we don’t recommend freezing it, as freezing can alter the texture.

Notes

This is a soft cheese ball so it doesn’t work too well to roll cheese ball in the garnish to coat it; you’ll gave to sprinkle or pat the garnish on by hand.

Some folks like to add green onions, crispy bacon bits, or even chopped pecans or walnuts as a garnish along with the parsley. Go ahead and use your imagination!

Fun party idea: make mini cheese balls and serve them on indiviual plates along with a few crackers.

We prefer eating cheese ball with crackers, but you can eat carrot or celery sticks or really any vegetable with cheese ball. Pretzel sticks, pita chips or bagel chips would be good options as well.

Have you made Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball?

Leave a comment below! We’d love to hear about it.

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Thanks!

…For visiting our small town. You’re more than welcome to stay awhile and explore all we have to offer! 

Here’s a full meal idea:

Potato Chili Cheese Haystacks

Best Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Eclair Dessert

’til next time,

Julie