Port Wine Cheese Ball

This Port Wine Cheese Ball is for my Hickory Farms stans. A combination of cream cheese, blue cheese, and sharp cheddar forms the base. Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder deepen the savory notes, while a little port imparts that nostalgic Hickory Farms flavor. After combining everything in a food processor, the mixture will be loose due to the port, and will need some time to chill until it’s firm enough to mold. The recipe calls for 2 hours in the refrigerator, but you can also try the freezer to speed things up. Rolling the ball in toasted sliced almonds will help make it easier to mold with your hands. Freezing the cheese ball until firm—for about 30 minutes—helps keep its shape.

There are many ways to modify this recipe to your own palate. Try the Classic Cheese Ball, our simplest cheese ball recipe with cream cheese, cheddar, butter, and seasonings. Heat things up with the Pimiento Cheese Ball, which has all the comfort of pimiento cheese and is rolled in chives to create a fresh garnish. Or create your own favorite flavor; you can use any cheese and seasonings you want if you stay true to the ratios in the recipe.