What we all need is easy elevated party appetizers and this festive easy appetizer is just that! Crunchy pistachios and tart cranberries with the savory flavor of Boursin cheese come together to create the ultimate holiday appetizer. Make ahead and store in the refrigerator for that spur of the moment guest or any and all of your holiday parties. Surround your festive pistachio and cranberry cheese ball with your favorite crackers, a dish of savory nuts and a bottle of bubbly and you’ve got yourself a ready made party.

white plate with cheese ball in the middle surrounded by ritz crackers and pretzel crisps with holiday ribbon and a red cloth in the back ground

Why I love myself a cheeseball

First and foremost, the ease of making a cheeseball has be at cheese….say no more! I’m there! It looks fun. It also seems like it would be time consuming, with all the rolling and such. But it’s not! It is so easy. Especially this cheese ball because I let the Boursin do all the work. I’m not mixing cheese, grating cheese, or adding spices. I’m literally rolling Boursin spreadable cheese into a ball and rolling it in pistachios and cranberries. How easy is that? And it tastes amazing. I could eat Boursin cheese everyday of my life. My son dated a girl once and Boursin was her favorite thing. I was sad to see her and her Boursin go. Honestly though it’s a great hack. And who doesn’t need a good hack at the holidays?!

cheese ball with new years eve party favors and a glass of wine on a table

How to make a festive cheese ball.

1. Chop 1/2 cup pistachios up into very fine pieces. Place chopped pistachios in a bowl. Chop cranberries up into fine pieces and add to the bowl with chopped pistachios. Combine the two ingredients together by tossing them lightly.

2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap out on the countertop. Unwrap two containers of Boursin cheese, stack the cheese on top of each other. Pull plastic wrap up around the cheese and with your hands form the cheese into a ball shape.

3. Unwrap cheese ball and place it in the large bowl with the pistachios and cranberries. Press nuts and berries into the surface of the cheese ball until you can’t see any cheese peeking out. Lay a second piece of plastic wrap out onto the counter and pour remaining chopped cranberries and nuts on to plastic wrap, set cheese ball on top and pull plastic wrap up around pressing nuts and berries into the cheese ball. Most of the toppings will stick but you will have a few chopped nuts and berries that may not adhere to the cheese.

4. Place plastic wrapped coated cheese ball in refrigerator until you are ready to serve

5. Serve cheese ball surrounded by your favorite cracker.

This appetizer spread is the perfect addition to any holiday table of appetizers. It is also a great addition to your charcuterie boards. The crunch of the pistachios pared with the sweetness of cranberries and this encasing creamy savory cheese, just cannot be beat.

The sweetness of the cranberries and the salty pistachios are the perfect combination with the savory creamy cheese. you can also make this into a cranberry pistachio cheese log if you wish! Ball or log it’s going to get eaten. I mean if you want to get really creative you could shape this into Santa Claus!

Make this today!

I hope you love this fun appetizer. Please leave me a comment below, and take a few seconds to give this recipe a star rating in the recipe card. Cheers! From my table to yours with love, Sheila