Mini Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Balls

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These festive mini cranberry pecan goat cheese balls are full of creamy goat cheese, cranberries, cinnamon, and pecans, making a perfect holiday appetizer.

​The holiday season is filled with special meals to celebrate, delicious sweet desserts to share, and yummy appetizers to pass at gatherings. With so many less-than-healthy treat options to be had, I’m always on the lookout for ways to sneak in healthy options during the holidays and these mini goat cheese balls are a great solution.

Just like my copycat heavenly hunks or healthy date Snickers bars, these mini cheese balls are always a hit.

Why You’ll Love Mini Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

The holiday season is full of a variety of creamy cheeses, nuts, and cranberries in various desserts and holiday appetizers. With these festive mini goat cheese truffles, you get all of those holiday flavors in one delicious bite. 

• Easy – You’ll love this easy recipe. A few simple ingredients come together in this no-bake appetizer to create a crowd-pleasing holiday appetizer. 
• Healthy – In a season of treats and decadence, healthy delicious appetizers are a welcome change of pace. These cranberry pecan goat cheese balls are made with whole ingredients that are naturally low in sugar.
• Make Ahead – I love how everyone makes intentional time in their calendars to connect and gather during the holiday season. And with all of those extra gatherings come a plethora of meals, snacks, and desserts to share. Having some make-ahead options means you can batch cook to make the best use of your time. Make mini cranberry pecan goat cheese truffles up to 5 days ahead of time, saving the last step of rolling in the coating until the day you serve. Drizzle with agave right before serving.
• Perfectly Balanced – Cheese balls typically have a creamy middle and are then rolled in nuts, creating delicious contrast in textures.

Ingredients

• Goat cheese – No need to overcomplicate things so keep it simple and use your favorite plain, traditional log of tangy goat cheese.
• Cream Cheese – The combination of goat cheese and cream cheese creates is dreamy. The goat cheese provides ample flavor while the cream cheese holds everything together.
• Agave syrup – Adds just a touch of sweetness to lift the cheese truffles. You can substitute other natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey, but I like agave because of its neutral flavor and never crystalizes.
• Cinnamon – 
• Pecans – The crunchy pecans add a nice texture to the soft cream cheese and goat cheese. Feel free to swap the pecans out with walnuts or pistachios.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley is a mild flavored herb that balances out the sweetness of the cranberries. Plus, the green adds a nice pop of color to these goat cheese balls.
• Dried Cranberries – Dried, sweet cranberries add sweetness with a slight tart flavor to these cranberry pecan goat cheese bites.  

How to Make Mini Cranberry Pecan Goat Balls

Add cream cheese and goat cheese to a large bowl and cream on medium with a hand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add the agave syrup and cinnamon to the cheese mixture and blend to incorporate.

Measure out 1/2 cup of pecans, place them on a cutting board, and chop them finely with a sharp knife. Add the chopped pecans to the bowl of the creamy cheese mixture and fold with a large spoon. 

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the goat cheese mixture into small balls onto a large plate or platter. Refrigerate to firm up while you prepare the outside coating. 

Using a sharp knife, finely mince the remaining 3/4 cup of pecans and 3/4 cup of dried cranberries. Chop 1/3 cup parsley and toss with the pecans and cranberries.

Remove the goat cheese balls from the fridge and roll each cheese ball into the pecan mixture one at a time, coating completely. Drizzle a touch of agave syrup over the top of the mini goat cheese balls right before serving. 

Storage

Store cheese balls in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Be sure to wait to drizzle the agave syrup until right before serving.

You can also freeze the min cranberry pecan goat cheese balls. Wrap each ball in a piece of plastic wrap, placing into a large freezer bag, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to use. Know that the green parsley will turn dark green from freezing. 

How To Make A Single Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Ball

You can also make one large, individual cheese ball. Mix the cheeses, agave syrup, cinnamon, and chopped pecans as directed.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the center of a piece of plastic wrap, wrapping the plastic wrap tightly and shaping the cheese mixture into a round ball. Twist it tight and place it into the refrigerator to firm up. Coat the large cheese ball in the cranberry/pecan mixture and drizzle with agave right before serving.

Serve the large cranberry pecan goat cheese ball in the center of a large platter and serve with crackers or warm crostini.