This Swiss Almond Cheese Ball makes the PERFECT holiday appetizer! Because no holiday celebration is complete without a cheeseball… and this Swiss Almond combo is to die for! If you’ve never tried it, now is the perfect time to try it and fall in love.
I’m all about holiday food. To be fair….who isn’t!?!? I love thinking up new ideas and putting fun twists on classic combos. And this Swiss Almond Cheese Ball is exactly that: a fun twist on a favorite! If you’ve ever tried Swiss Almond cheese spread, you know just how delicious the combination is. And if not….well….you’re missing out.
There’s something about the combination of Swiss cheese and sliced almonds with a splash of white wine that’s seriously SO GOOD! And with the added bonus of bacon? You can’t go wrong.
And not only is it absolutely delicious… it’s also SO easy to make with fewer than 10 ingredients!
what you’ll love about this recipe
My favorite thing about this recipe is the classic flavor combo. It’s one of my all time favorite cheese spreads… in the form of a cheese ball, which is ALWAYS a hit at holiday parties!
what you’ll need for this recipe
Cream cheese – Cream cheese forms the base of this cheese ball. I used 16 ounces of plain cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
Swiss cheese – For extra texture, I combined the cream cheese with 6 ounces of finely shredded Swiss cheese. If you’re not a fan of Swiss, feel free to substitute mozzarella, provolone, or Parmesan.
Bacon – 6 ounces of cooked, crumbled bacon gives this cheese ball even more delicious flavor. (*Omit bacon for a vegetarian appetizer)
White wine – 1 Tablespoon of white wine adds just a hint of something extra to this cheese ball. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
Worcestershire & seasonings – To flavor the cream cheese I added 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary.
Almonds – 3/4 cup of sliced, unsalted almonds give this cheeseball extra texture and a hint of nuttiness. You can feel free to substitute chopped almonds if you have them on hand.
How to Make a Cheese Ball:
Start with cream cheese. Every good cheese ball starts with cream cheese! It’s what gives it that creamy, spreadable quality. Feel free to substitute Neufchatel cheese, but I would not recommend using fat free cream cheese.
Consider your flavors. Simple is sometimes better! I would recommend choosing 2-3 flavors you’d really like to highlight and choosing your ingredients accordingly.
Mix your ingredients well. The goal is to have every flavor in every bite….and when it comes to cheeseballs, there’s no danger of over-mixing.
Leave enough time to chill. I recommend chilling the mixture for at least an hour before rolling it into a ball. If it is too warm, it will be sticky. If it’s too cold, the almonds will not stick well to the outside. *Note: This recipe is easy to make in advance and chill overnight or longer. In the case that you’d like to chill it for an extended period of time, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a bit before rolling it in the almonds.
Offer a variety of dippers. Crackers, pretzels, apples, you name it. The more variety, the better!
Recipe Variations
- Use mozzarella, provolone, or Parmesan in place of Swiss
- Substitute chopped almonds or another kind of nut in place of sliced almonds
- Use sage or thyme in place of rosemary
- Substitute dried herbs for fresh
- Omit the white wine
- Omit the bacon for a vegetarian appetizer
- Add dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
more of our favorite holiday appetizer recipes
- Pumpkin Cheese Ball
- Feta Phyllo Bites
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
- Pistachio Cherry Baked Brie
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Cranberry Pecan Baked Goat Cheese
Swiss Almond Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 6 ounces finely shredded Swiss cheese
- 6 ounces cooked bacon chopped
- 1 Tablespoon white wine
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, Swiss cheese, cooked bacon, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Mix until ingredients are incorporated.
- Stir in 1/4 cup sliced almonds.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Chill 1-2 hours or overnight. (*See recipe tips above.)
- On a small plate, combine remaining sliced almonds and minced rosemary. Roll cheeseball in almond mixture to coat.
- Serve with your favorite crackers, pretzels, or sliced apples.
Notes
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- Use mozzarella, provolone, or Parmesan in place of Swiss
- Substitute chopped almonds or another kind of nut in place of sliced almonds
- Use sage or thyme in place of rosemary
- Substitute dried herbs for fresh
- Omit the white wine
- Omit the bacon for a vegetarian appetizer
- Add dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
Sweet recipe – thanks you!
Looks like perfect party fare and relatively easy! We are going to our family Christmas party this weekend and I might make it. “I love the Elf on the Shelf” – said no sane person ever. I think it potentially ruins things and the kids compare and contrast at school. “Mine was bathing in marshmallows”, “Mine was zip lining from our tree!” Really? Because I can hardly get my act together to move it from kitchen to living room.
So YUM – Pinned for my dinner today.
Can something else be substituted for the white wine?
These so look good – thanks so much!
This is so good! Loved the way you presented the cheese ball, with those biscuits around!
I am a big fan of Kroger’s Buttery Swiss Cheese Ball; I think it has been discontinued. Any thoughts on a comparable recipe?
Have you tried this recipe? I bet it would be similar!
CAN YOU SUBSTITUTE THE BACON? ANY SUGGESTIONS?
There are many substitutes for bacon, however, I am not sure why you are substituting. You could use turkey bacon, ham, or coconut bacon if you want vegetarian.
I have heard of subbing smoked salmon so you still have that salty meatiness, and along with cream cheese, it may just work!