Wondering how to bring an air of seasonal elegance to your table this fall?

Look no further! This recipe adds the perfect touch of refinement to any evening soiree, dinner party, or date night! 

There are so many delectable flavors that come along with fall, it’s almost impossible to explore them all in a mere few months. Some of the most popular flavors include pumpkin spice, caramel or cinnamon apple, and plenty of herbs and spice, but other flavors often get overlooked. As autumn settles in, why not try your hand at a deliciously unique dish that features quite a few flavors of the season?

Making a Cranberry & Pecan Cheese Ball

This recipe features fresh fall ingredients including cranberries, walnuts, pecans, cilantro, and cheddar and cream cheeses that create an immaculate focal point to any table-spread as well as an amusing dip! Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients you’ll need, prepare for this recipe by dicing the nuts and cranberries and chopping the cilantro. 

You’ll want to mix these ingredients separately from the cheeses, so be sure to keep them in their own bowl. Once the dry ingredients have been combined and mixed well within their bowl, you’ll want to divide that mixture in half, placing one half in another medium-sized bowl. 

Using a spatula, preferably a silicon tipped one, combine one of the bowls of the dry ingredients with the cheeses, making sure they are evenly mixed. Then, lay out a bit of seran or plastic wrap on the counter. This point of the recipe is the point where you have complete and total creative freedom. This plastic sheet will be used to shape your cheese ball, but maybe that shape isn’t quite speaking to you. Plop your cheese mixture in the center of the plastic sheet and begin to wrap the mixture. Shape the cheese into your preferred shape, whether it is a sphere, a log, or something more festive, and place in a container (cling-wrap and all) and place into the fridge for 30 minutes-the time of serving to give your cheese more structure and support. 

After the cheese has had ample time to harden enough to hold its shape, remove from the fridge and place in the bowl that contains the remaining dry ingredients. Roll (or cover) the ball until completely covered and serve alongside dipping vessels such as crackers, crostini, and more! 

Ingredients

• 9oz cream cheese
• 1 cup dried cranberries, diced
• ½  cup pecans, roughly diced
• ½ cup walnuts roughly diced 
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• ¼ cup or 4 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl combine diced pecans, cranberries and cilantro.
2. In a large mixing bowl add cream cheese & cheddar, then use a spatula to combine with HALF of the pecan mix (save the rest to coat the outside).
3. Add the cheese mix to a large sheet of cling film and mould into a log shape, using the cling film to tightly contain it. Pop in the fridge until ready to serve. 
4. When ready to serve, spread the put other half of your pecan mix in a bowl.  
5. Unwrap the cheese log and coat all over with the pecan mix.
6. Serve on a board with crackers. Enjoy!

This cheese ball is perfect as a centerpiece to an evening get together or for a 5-star quality date night in! It’s got wonderful fall flavor elements such as pecans, walnuts, cranberries, and even creamy cheese to satiate any seasonal cravings, and it provides a chic color palette to enhance the tablescape you’ve crafted! If you tried this recipe, we’d love to hear about it. Let us know your experience by sharing it with us on social media! 

For more information on Table and Thyme, contact them today! Follow us on our social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest to see the other amazing events, lavishing grazing tables and beautiful graze boxes we have created.