Hey, y'all! Nothing says the holidays more than a cheese ball - but, not all cheese balls are created equal. Level up your holiday hosting with this Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but it is also insanely delicious! I know y'all will love it, just as my family does.
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
This post is in partnership with Duke’s Mayonnaise. All opinions expressed, as always, are my own. Thank you for supporting those that make JCP Eats possible!


Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1.5 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ c. Duke's Mayonnaise
- 1.5 c. dried cranberries
- 4 tbsp. chives (I use the freeze-dried chives, which are found in the spice section of your local supermarket)
- 1 c. pecans
- garlic powder, to taste

How to Make a Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
- In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, Duke's Mayonnaise, 1 cup of dried cranberries, 2 tbsp. of chives, and garlic powder. Mix until uniformly combined.
- Place the mixture onto plastic wrap, cover it, and roll it into a ball.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. If you are in a rush, you can also put the cheese ball in the freezer.
- Place pecans, ½ c. of dried cranberries, and 2 tbsp. of chives onto parchment paper. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator/freezer and roll the cheese ball in the pecans, cranberries, and chives as a topping. Press the leftover topping into the cheese ball with your hands.
- Serve with crackers and enjoy!

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball Recipe

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1.5 c. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ c. Duke's Mayonnaise
- 1.5 c. dried cranberries
- 4 tbsp. chives I use the freeze-dried chives, which are found in the spice section of your local supermarket
- 1 c. pecans
- garlic powder to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, Duke's Mayonnaise, 1 cup of dried cranberries, 2 tbsp. of chives, and garlic powder. Mix until uniformly combined.
- Place the mixture onto plastic wrap, cover it, and roll it into a ball.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. If you are in a rush, you can also put the cheese ball in the freezer.
- Place pecans, ½ c. of dried cranberries, and 2 tbsp. of chives onto parchment paper. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator/freezer and roll the cheese ball in the pecans, cranberries, and chives as a topping. Press the leftover topping into the cheese ball with your hands.
- Serve with crackers and enjoy!

About Duke’s Mayonnaise
Duke’s is, hands down, the mayonnaise of the American South. It’s the most commonly used ingredient in my kitchen and I always have a jar – or four – on deck. The southern legacy of Duke’s goes back to Camp Sevier in 1917 and Eugenia Duke (Greenville, SC). Her sandwiches that were sold to army canteens during WWI were so legendary that army vets wrote to Eugenia years later begging for her sandwich recipes and jars of her delectable spread. Because of this, she began bottling it as a product on its own in 1923. Duke’s is readily available in supermarkets around the US; you can also order online here.
Y’all come back now, ya hear?
My best,
JC
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