Description
Easy Jalapeño Cheese Ball recipe with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, fresh jalapeños, and toasted panko coating. Perfect make-ahead appetizer for parties, game day, or holiday gatherings. Ready in just 10 minutes active time!
Ingredients
Base and Mix-Ins:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (or pepper jack/Monterey Jack)
- 1 jalapeño, diced (remove seeds/membranes for mild; leave for more heat)
- 1 green onion, diced (or a little red onion)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Coating:
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, toasted (or crumbled bacon; or omit)
Instructions
Soft cream cheese in bowl. Add cheddar, jalapeño, green onion, hot sauce, salt, garlic powder. Mash with fork or hand mixer till it looks uniform. Now grab a cracker and taste it. Needs more kick? Add hot sauce. Bland? More salt. This is your only chance to fix seasoning before it’s shaped and cold.
Big piece plastic wrap on counter. Dump cheese mixture in middle. Grab edges, twist top, squeeze into ball. Plastic does the work, hands stay clean. Two hours minimum in fridge. Skip this and try coating it early, you’ll have sticky cheese everywhere and a weird lumpy shape. Ask me how I know.
Dry pan, medium heat, nothing in it. Pour in panko. Stir constantly. Don’t answer your phone, don’t check Instagram, don’t walk away. Panko goes from raw to perfect to black in like thirty seconds. Three to four minutes stirring nonstop till golden and smells good. Off heat immediately onto plate.
Unwrap cheese ball. Roll in toasted panko, press it in so it sticks everywhere. Plate with crackers. Sit out fifteen minutes before serving. Cold straight from fridge is too hard to spread. Slightly soft is perfect.
Notes
- Freshly shred your cheese – Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your cheese ball grainy and prevent smooth mixing.
- Control the heat level like a pro: For mild, remove ALL the seeds and white membranes from the jalapeño. For medium, leave about half. For spicy, leave everything in!
- Don’t skip the chilling time – I know 2 hours feels like forever, but this is crucial for the cheese ball to firm up enough to coat and serve. If you try to coat it too early, it’ll just be a sticky mess.
- Toast don’t skip – Raw panko is bland and boring. Those 3-4 minutes of toasting transform it into golden, nutty, crunchy perfection.
- Avoid burning the panko by using medium (not high) heat and stirring constantly. The moment you smell it toasting, start watching extra carefully!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American