In the Kitchen: Cranberry pistachio goat cheese balls

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: cottage cheese

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

pistachios

🥗Healthier: sunflower seeds

💰Cheaper: walnuts

Sunflower seeds are nut-free and lower in cost.

dried cranberries

🥗Healthier: dried cherries

💰Cheaper: raisins

Raisins are more affordable and still add sweetness.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheddar

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Processed cheese is often less expensive.

Add 4 oz of softened cream cheese and 4 oz of goat cheese to a large bowl.

Blend the cheeses with an electric hand mixer until smooth.

Use a scooper to scoop small balls of the cheese mixture onto a plastic lined baking sheet.

Shape the scooped cheese into consistently sized balls using the palm of your hand.

Refrigerate the cheese balls for about half an hour to firm up.

While the cheese balls are firming up, prepare the cranberry pistachio nut topping using a food processor.

Chop the pistachios in the food processor and sift to remove the finest bits.

Mix the chopped pistachios with finely diced dried cranberries to create the coating.

Once firm, shape the cheese balls into perfectly round spheres.

Dredge the cheese balls in the cranberry and pistachio topping, pressing some extra cranberries and nuts into the balls to ensure they stick.

Serve the cheese balls with a pretzel stick for guests to grab, or use a toothpick for gluten-free guests.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens