Appetizers and Snacks Dips and Spreads Recipes Cheese Dips and Spreads Recipes Cheese Ball Recipes Pecan Pie Cheese Ball Be the first to rate & review! 1 Photo "A sweet twist on a usually savory appetizer!" By Marianne Williams Marianne Williams Marianne has been writing and testing recipes in the test kitchens for Dotdash Meredith since 2016. She studied at the International Culinary Center, in New York, and the International School of Italian Cuisine, in Italy, under highly esteemed chefs and graduated in 2015. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on November 6, 2024 Tested by Amanda Holstein Tested by Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein has loved baking since the age of 6 and now works for the Dotdash Meredith team as a Test Kitchen Assistant. The one tool Amanda cannot live without would have to be a rubber spatula. She calls it "an absolute essential and such a versatile tool". Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 1 Prep Time: 15 mins Chill Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Servings: 12 Yield: 3 1/2 cups Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe This sweet, Southern-inspired cheese ball channels all the best flavors of a classic pecan pie—from the crunchy pecan coating to the gooey, caramel center. The cream cheese base is enriched with vanilla pudding mix to create a smooth, almost cookie dough-like texture that’s perfect for scooping with apple slices, graham crackers, or pretzel chips. This sweet, decadent spin on a traditionally savory appetizer is sure to impress every guest at your holiday table. “The cheese ball on its own is delicious, but who doesn’t love a caramel center!” said recipe cross-tester Amanda Holstein. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings 2 packages caramel dip singles (such as Marzetti), plus more for drizzling 1 tablespoon finely chopped toasted pecans 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 (3.2 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans, divided 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt apple slices, graham crackers, and pretzel chips for dipping Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Stir together caramel dip and 1 tablespoon of the pecans in a small bowl; store in refrigerator until ready to use. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Beat cream cheese and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Add powdered sugar and brown sugar; beat on low until just combined, about 5 seconds; increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add pudding mix, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup of the pecans; mix until just combined, about 10 seconds. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Line the inside of a medium bowl with plastic wrap, leaving about a 2-inch overhang around the bowl. Place cream cheese mixture into prepared bowl, pressing down until cream cheese mixture is firmly packed; make a well in the center, about 3 inches wide and 2 inches deep. Refrigerate, uncovered, until just firm, about 45 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Spoon caramel mixture into the well of the chilled cream cheese mixture. Use the edges of the plastic wrap to help spread cheese evenly over caramel mixture to enclose, pressing together the edges to create a sealed ball with a caramel center. Unwrap and smooth outside of cheese with clean fingers or the back of a spoon until smooth and no cracks remain. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place ball onto a new piece of plastic wrap and wrap it well, reforming it into a ball shape, about 5 inches in diameter. Place in a medium bowl and refrigerate until completely firm, 2 hours or up to 12 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place remaining 1/3 cup pecans on a small plate. Unwrap cheese ball and roll in pecans to fully coat. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with additional caramel dip. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Serve with apple slices, graham crackers, pretzel chips, and other dippers of choice. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 324 Calories 25g Fat 23g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 324 % Daily Value * Total Fat 25g 32% Saturated Fat 13g 64% Cholesterol 59mg 20% Sodium 290mg 13% Total Carbohydrate 23g 8% Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Total Sugars 21g Protein 3g 6% Vitamin C 1mg 1% Calcium 51mg 4% Iron 0mg 1% Potassium 104mg 2% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.