Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls

Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls

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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.

Serving Pimento Cheese Balls with Green Olives

(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.

Recipe for Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread

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

Ingredients for 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 Ingredients Inside Food Processor Tub

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.

Place Cheese Mixture in Refrigerator to Chill

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

Form Small Balls and Roll Balls in Crushed Crackers

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.

Garnish with Green Olives

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.

 

Recipe for Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls

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.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate Pin Recipe
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cheddar Cheese, Chopped Pimento, Smoked Paprika
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Refrigerate: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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