Description
These Halloween Cheese Balls are a festive and fun appetizer perfect for spooky gatherings. Creamy mixtures of cream cheese and goat cheese are shaped into balls, coated with crunchy Cheetos crumbs and seeds, and decorated with bat-shaped tortilla wings and olive eyes for an eerie, delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Tortilla Wings
- 4 large green tortillas or wraps
Coating
- 2 cups Cheetos, finely crushed into crumbs
- 2 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
Cheese Balls
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 (4-oz.) package goat cheese, at room temperature
- Black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Black and green olives, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Tortilla Wings: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the green tortillas into 24 bat-shaped wings. Arrange them on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until dry and crisp but not browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Prepare Coatings: In separate small bowls, place the finely crushed Cheetos crumbs, black sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.
- Make the Cheese Balls: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, and black pepper to taste. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, scoop out portions of the cheese mixture and gently mold them into smooth, round balls with your hands.
- Coat the Cheese Balls: Roll each cheese ball in the Cheetos crumbs or the seeds so they are evenly coated. Place the coated cheese balls on a second baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until ready to serve to allow them to firm up.
- Assemble the Cheese Balls: Once the tortilla wings are completely cool, gently press two wings into the sides of each cheese ball to create bat wings. Thinly slice black and green olives and place slices on top of each ball to form spooky eyes.
Notes
- Make sure the cheese is at room temperature to make mixing and shaping easier.
- Use gloves or clean hands when shaping and coating to maintain hygiene.
- These cheese balls can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated to save preparation time.
- Green tortillas add a spooky color, but any tortilla or wrap can be substituted.
- Adjust the black pepper according to your taste preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball with wings
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
