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This Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball is great when you want cheesecake, but want it in an easily munchable form! It’s a quick dessert or fun snack to make for an event, or just to have at home.

chocolate chip cheese ball with scoop taken out to show the inside

Cheese Balls with Chocolate Chips

Y’all probably know by now that I love desserts…at least, I hope you do, from the blog title. 😉 And in particular, I love desserts that you can use for any occasion. These cheese balls with chocolate chips are a great snack just to have at home if you’re in the mood for something sweet, or equally amazing at an event, birthday party, etc. Since you have to make them ahead of time anyway, you can prep them before your get-together!

By the way, if you’ve never heard of a recipe like this before, think cheesecake in a cute ball form! I know the title may be misleading, but you’re not mixing chocolate with feta or something, I promise. You’re essentially using cream cheese, sugar, chocolate, and a few other ingredients to create a little sphere of yummy cheesecake-like goodness. It’s delicious and totally kid-friendly, too, especially if you use M&Ms or something similar inside or outside the ball!

It’s an awesome super-snacky version of a cheesecake…which, now that I think about it, may be dangerous for some of us! 😉 Enjoy!

cookie scooping some cheese ball with chocolate chips

Cheesecake Ball: Ingredients and Substitutions

For this Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, you will need …

Ingredients

  • cream cheese – Softened and at room temperature. This is the “cheese” part of your cheese ball and if you’ve ever made a cheesecake before, it won’t seem odd!!
  • butter – Helps with texture! I’ve personally found that ensuring the butter is at room temperature too helps with a wonderfully perfect, smooth ball.
  • powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract – These turn your cheese ball into something flavorful and sweet…rather than just a hunk of chilled cream cheese. Be sure to mix in the sugars well, or else they won’t incorporate properly and you’ll get a weird grainy texture in your cheese ball. Not fun!
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips – You’ll fold these into your cheesecake ball for a chocolatey twist!
  • chopped pecans – When your cheese ball is done, you’ll roll it in pecans to give it a crunchy coating.
bowl with chocolate chip cheese ball scoop and assorted cookies

Cheese Ball with Chocolate Chips: FAQs

➡️ Can you store these cheese balls in the fridge?

Yes – just wrap them up in plastic wrap and they’ll be good for 5-7 days in the fridge.

➡️ What about the freezer?

They’ll last in the freezer for about a month! Just wrap them up in aluminum foil. When you want to serve them, bring them into the fridge to thaw.

➡️ How long can these sit out at room temperature?

No more than 1-2 hours. There are too many ingredients that can spoil!

➡️ What kind of cream cheese should I use in the recipe?

Any you’d like, though I wouldn’t use fat-free or low-fat cream cheese. These don’t really keep the “ball” shape well.

➡️ Do you recommend any other kinds of nuts besides pecans for the coating?

Oh yes! Peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, or any of your favorites pair well with this chocolate chip cheese ball.

➡️ Can you use something else entirely for the coating, like crushed graham crackers?

Yes, crushed graham crackers are good! I also recommend M&Ms or more chocolate chips for the coating as an extra-chocolatey treat. If you want to combine some salty in your sweet, try crushed pretzels too!

cheese ball with chocolate chips on plate with cookies

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closeup chocolate chip cheese ball with scoop showing the inside
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Servings: 16 servings

Cheese Ball with Chocolate Chips

By Jamie Sherman
This Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball is great when you want cheesecake but want it in an easily munchable form! It's a quick dessert or fun snack to make for an event or just to have at home.
Prep: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes

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Ingredients 

  • 1 package cream cheese, softened, 8 oz
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened, 1 stick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • ¾ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • sugar cookies, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, animal crackers, etc.

Instructions 

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add both sugars and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Shape the cream cheese mixture into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional 1 hour.
  • Uncover the cheese ball and roll in pecans before serving. Serve with sugar cookies, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, and/or animal crackers.

Notes

  • It is important to keep this cheese ball out no more than 1-2 hours. There are too many ingredients that can spoil!
  • Wrapped in plastic wrap, this cheeseball is good for 5-7 days in the fridge.
  • Wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, you can keep this cheese ball in the freezer for about a month! When you want to serve it, put it in the fridge to thaw completely before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 92mg, Potassium: 107mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 376IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Jamie

Jamie Sherman founded Love Bakes Good Cakes in February 2012. She is a self-taught home cook passionate about sharing easy, delicious, and family-friendly recipes. From comforting classics to irresistible desserts, I believe homemade food brings people together. Join me on my journey of creating and sharing meals that bring joy to every table!

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