Pineapple Cheese Ball Recipe

Name: Pineapple Cheese Ball
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces cream cheese (softened); 8 ounces crushed pineapple (drained); 2 green onions (sliced); 1/2 green bell pepper (minced fine); 1/2 red bell pepper (minced fine); 1 teaspoon seasoned salt; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 cups toasted pecans (chopped)

A Pineapple cheese ball is always a welcome addition to any party. Sweet crushed pineapple, creamy cheese, colorful bell peppers all rolled in toasted pecans for crunch. A crowd pleaser for sure!

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A twist on a classic cheese ball recipe, it has all the right flavors. Creamy, Crunchy, Sweet, Salty, and super delicious.

I love a cheese ball because you can make them ahead of time and you can play around with some many flavors and textures.

Most are savory with bacon and garlic but sweets ones are just as welcome in my house. Full of colors, it’s not only pretty to look at, it tastes great on a cracker!

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ingredients for a fruit cheese ball with text overlay labeling them

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Cream cheese – Feel free to use low fat or fat free cream cheese. Just be sure the cream cheese softened so it’s easy to mix.
Pineapple – Use an 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple and drain it very well! Any extra water will make the cheese ball loose.
Bell peppers – Green bell pepper is great by itself but I love the red for a pop of color. Only add these if you are planning on eating within a day. The longer the cheese ball sits the peppers will release water.
Seasonings – This recipe is simple with just the addition of seasoned salt. If you want to use some additional garlic powder or even add in some red pepper flakes, feel free to make it your own!
Nuts – Pecans are my favorite nut for this cheese ball but feel free to use almonds, walnuts, or your favorite nut. You can also use crispy cooked bacon or crushed pretzels or chips.

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How To Make A Pineapple Cheese Ball

Chop the green pepper and red peppers into a small pieces. Drain the pineapple. Soften cream cheese in a large bowl and whip with hand mixer or stand mixer.

Add the finely chopped bell pepper and drained crushed pineapple. Stir to combine.

Add in the green onions, seasoned salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.

Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour or until firm.

When ready to serve, remove from plastic wrap and roll in chopped pecans to coat the outside.

Serve with crackers and veggies!

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Storage

Once made, it will last a few days in the refrigerator. The peppers might release a little water so it might not be as firm as it used to be. You can always serve it as a spread.

How To Freeze

You can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. I like to roll mine in pecans after I have defrosted it so they stick better and don’t get soggy.

Prep Ahead

You can prep the mixture and form into a ball up to 3 days in advance. Just roll in the nuts when ready to serve.

cracker smeared with pineapple cheese ball

How long to soften cream cheese?

It takes about 30 minutes on the counter for the cream cheese to soften. If it still feels cool to the touch and still firm then let it fo another 10-15 minutes.

How long can it sit out at room temperature?

Because of the dairy, I wouldn’t let the cheese ball sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

Be sure to drain the pineapple really well. Press down on it in the strainer to remove as much water as possible.
The more bell pepper you add to it the less firm it will be as the peppers release water.
Chill the mixture or the formed cheese ball for 30 minutes to an hour or until it is firm.
You can add some of the pecans to the inside of the cheese ball if you like or just use them on the outside.
Coat the cheese ball easily by adding a cup of pecans to the bottom of a bowl and setting the cheese ball on top of them. Then press the remaining amount into the top and sides with your hand. You can then roll it around to fill in any open spots.
Serve it along with this pineapple juice and bourbon drink and this cream cheese dip for crackers.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!

Pinterest pin image for pineapple cheese ball

With this pineapple cheese ball, you get a sweet and salty combination that everyone will love. Serve it with your favorite crackers or veggies for an easy appetizer.