Sweet and Savory Red Pepper Jelly Cheeseball

I love a good cheeseball.  There is something so nostalgic and classic about them.  When I think of appetizers like this, I think of the Mad Men golden era of the 1950s and 60s.  It’s a recipe has that retro appeal while still being so delicious and the perfect party food.  Although it’s an era before my time, I have always loved anything and everything Mid-Century Modern, including the party foods.  There is just something about the way people threw a party back then.  Simple appetizers, music on the record player, and mingling with a martini glass in hand.  I could wax poetic about this era all day.  But instead of boring you all with my love of MCM, I’ll talk about food instead. 

This cheeseball is the first of two old school recipes I’ll be sharing with you for game day and I hope you love them as much as I do!  Although a Super Bowl party, per se, is quite different from that of a retro-inspired cocktail party, the same shareable snacks can still shine in the same way.  And that’s why I decided to play off of those classics for this year’s end-of-season football spectacle.

This Pepper Jelly Cheeseball uses cream cheese and shredded sharp cheddar as the base.  The cheddar adds just enough depth of flavor without being overpowering.  Next, I mix in red pepper jelly along with ground mustard, garlic powder, and just a pinch of cayenne to give it some zing at the end.  And my not-so-secret savory addition? Dried chopped onions.  This unassuming ingredient can be found in the spice section of your grocery store and is so great to have on hand.  It softens when the cheeseball sits in the refrigerator and adds that tangy onion flavor without the sharpness or crunchiness of a fresh onion. 

After I mix everything together, I roll the cheeseball in chopped slivered almonds that have been toasted in the oven and let it chill in the refrigerator until it’s ready to be devoured. 

Served alongside crackers, veggies, or pita chips; this cheeseball is the most delicious sharable snack.

Eat well and enjoy!

Details and Abby’s Tips

• The Almonds – If you can find already toasted or roasted slivered or chopped almonds at the store, feel free to use those to make your life a little easier!  I use unsalted almonds in this recipe, but you could use lightly salted.  I don’t think it would make the final product overly salty as there is no added salt to the cheeseball itself.  Also, you don’t necessarily need to use toasted almonds, but I do recommend it.  Toasting the almonds makes them crunchier and adds a deeper flavor!

• The Cheddar Cheese – I love using sharp cheddar for this recipe!  It adds a good amount of flavor while the cream cheese and pepper jelly help mellow out the sharpness.  Feel free to experiment with different cheeses though if sharp cheddar isn’t your thing.  Mild cheddar would work well!  And monterey jack or pepper jack could be great too!  

• The Red Pepper Jelly – I use Stonewall Kitchen Red Pepper Jelly for this recipe but any brand will do.  I have not tried this cheeseball with green pepper jelly but I imagine it would be just as delicious!

• The Cayenne – This is just to add a little zing to the cheeseball.  I use about ½ teaspoon and it does not add very much heat.  And the heat it does add is mellowed out by the cream cheese.  However, if you are very sensitive to heat, feel free to leave out the cayenne altogether.  You could use a sweet or smoked paprika in place of the cayenne if you prefer.    

• The Dried Chopped Onions – Dried chopped onions (NOT granulated onion powder) are great for this recipe.  They add a touch of savory onion flavor without the sharpness of fresh onions.  Because they are mixed into the cream cheese mixture, they will soften as the cheeseball sits so there won’t be a dry onion texture in the final product.  If you don’t have a jar of these in your pantry, I suggest getting one!  They aren’t expensive and are convenient in a pinch.  *NOTE: If you don’t have dried chopped onions or can’t find them at the store (they are usually with the other dried spices), you could use granulated onion powder.  I would use about ¼ teaspoon and taste.  It will change the flavor profile a bit but will work if that’s what you have on hand.    

• Why Do I Soften the Cream Cheese? – Softening the cream cheese to room temperature makes it much easier to mix!  If you don’t have time to do this, simply place the cream cheese (fully wrapped or in its enclosed container) in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes and you should be good to go!

• Can This be Made Ahead of Time? – Yes!  You can mix all of the ingredients, minus the almonds, ahead of time.  Just cover and place the cheese mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use.  I would use this within a few days of mixing.  You can also pre-toast and chop the almonds.  Let them cool completely and then place in an airtight container and store on the counter or in the refrigerator.  Assemble the day you’re going to serve the cheeseball and enjoy!