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Here’s an easy recipe to make Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls when you need finger foods for a party. The holidays will often call for a night of finger foods, especially when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve.

(Post modified on 12/6/23.)

I’ve made these cheese balls for a church potluck and have even served them at tea parties. Plus, they pair wonderfully with soup dinners. Simply place a toothpick in the center of each ball and add a green olive for a fantastic appetizer.

There are various ways to add smoky flavor to this recipe, such as using smoked cheddar cheese or even the addition of Liquid Smoke. However, I opted to include one of my favorite spices–Smoked Paprika. I really love this spice, and I find myself adding it more and more to my recipes.

Pimento Cheese Spread is one of my favorite appetizers to serve with crackers, on celery, or even for tea sandwiches. See my Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe Here.

What Exactly is a Pimento?

If you’re not familiar with this ingredient, you may be wondering what a pimento is.

Pimentos (or pimientos) are small, sweetly spiced red peppers. You’ve probably seen them stuffed inside green olives, or maybe even at the grocery store in a pimento spread. They can be dried and made into the spice known as paprika! Now, how cool is that!

More Cheese Appetizers to Enjoy

Ingredients for Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
pimentos, drained
cheddar cheese crackers (like Cheese-its), crushed
dried minced onion
smoked paprika
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
green olives stuffed with pimento

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand.

Prepare the Ingredients

Using a box grater, shred the sharp cheddar cheese. You could also opt to use extra sharp cheddar for this recipe.

Place the cheddar cheese crackers in a food processor and pulse until the crackers are completely crushed. The more powdery they are, the better they will stick to the cheese balls.

Make the Cheese Balls

Place the shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pimentos, 1/2 cup of the crushed crackers, dried minced onion, minced garlic, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in the food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Transfer the cheese to a bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop (size 60 or less), scoop up dough and roll into small balls. Then roll each ball into the remaining crushed cheese crackers to cover.

Place balls in a covered container and refrigerate at least 60 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, place toothpick in center of each ball with a stuffed green olive.

This recipe will make at least 24 balls.

See more Appetizers Here. Browse Tea Party Recipes Here. View Holiday Entertaining Ideas Here.

Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls

Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls when you need finger foods for a party, especially when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve. Perfect for a church potluck, tea parties, or a soup dinner.

Prep Time 20

Refrigerate 1 30

Total Time 1 50

Serving Size 12

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Equipment

Flat Grater

Cuisinart Food Processor

Cookie Scoop

Appetizer Picks

Ingredients

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
4 oz chopped pimentos (drained)
1 cup cheddar cheese crackers (like Cheese-its, crushed)
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
24 pieces small pimento stuffed green olives

Instructions

Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand.

Prepare the Ingredients

Using a box grater, shred the sharp cheddar cheese. You could also opt to use extra sharp cheddar for this recipe.
Place the cheddar cheese crackers in a food processor and pulse until the crackers are completely crushed. The more powdery they are, the better they will stick to the cheese. Place crushed crackers in a bowl for dipping.

Make the Cheese Balls

Place the shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pimentos, 1/2 cup of the crushed crackers, dried minced onion, minced garlic, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in the food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Transfer the cheese to a bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop (size 60 or less), scoop up dough and roll into small balls.
Roll each ball into the remaining crushed cheese crackers to cover.
Place balls in a covered container and refrigerate at least 60 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, place toothpick in center of each ball with a stuffed green olive.
This recipe will make at least 24 balls.