Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Chocolate Chip Dessert Cheese Ball is a decadent mixture of cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and  chocolate chips rolled in toasted pecans  Paired with graham crackers or chocolate wafers, this tasty little treat is a real crowd pleaser. 

I found the recipe for this Chocolate Chip Dessert Cheese Ball at  Taste of Home a few years ago and added it to my recipe files.  I've made it several times and each time the plate was licked clean.  I often make it when I need a dessert for a potluck or party because it's way too much for Don and me to eat on our own (but we'd probably try to gobble it down by ourselves).  Another advantage to this dessert is, that aside from the chilling time, it comes together quickly and looks quite showy at the table. 

I've always served this Dessert Cheese Ball with graham crackers and thoroughly enjoyed it that way.  This year I added chocolate wafers to the serving plate and, I must tell you, that was even more delicious and I don't even like chocolate wafer cookies!  Any cookie  you think would be a nice complement to the tangy cream cheese would be an acceptable dipper. 


Chocolate Chip Dessert Cheese Ball
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons packedbrown sugar
¾ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans*
Graham crackers or chocolate wafers or both

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined. At this stage if you beat the sugar too much the mixture will become too soft.  Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, minimum. If you can wait 4 hours or overnight you will be able to form the mixture into a ball much easier.  

Remove the cream cheese mixture from the refrigerator.  Scrape the mixture from the bowl and place on a large piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper.  Carefully shape into a ball. Wearing plastic or latex gloves can be very helpful when shaping the cheese mixture into a ball.  Roll the cheese ball in the chopped nuts to evenly cover the surface.  If the ball is very soft refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling in the nuts.  Refrigerate the finished cheese ball until ready to serve.  Remove from refrigerator about half an hour before serving to allow the cheese to soften. Serve with graham crackers or chocolate wafers or both.  

The cheese ball can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.  Do not place the cookies around the cheese ball until ready to serve.

Makes: 1 cheese ball about 2 cups/16 servings, 2 tablespoons each.

(*If you have a nut allergy, skip the nuts and roll in miniature chocolate chips.)

Beat the room temperature cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until fluffy.  Beat in the icing sugar and brown sugar until just mixed in.  Do not overbeat because the mixture will become too soft.  Stir in the miniature chocolate chips.

Scrape the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours--longer is better.

When the mixture is well chilled, shape it into a ball using waxed paper or plastic wrap to help with the shaping. Have the chopped nuts ready.  
 

When rolling the cheese ball in the nuts, wearing plastic or latex gloves helps to keep the cheese from sticking to your fingers.  When the cheese mixture gets on your fingers you'll be temped to lick it off and then you'll have to wash your hands and start all over again.  This can turn into a vicious cycle of rolling, licking and hand washing.  

Place the finished Cheese Ball on a pretty serving plate and refrigerate if not using right away.  Cover with plastic if you will be keeping the ball in the fridge any length of time.  

When ready to serve, line the serving plate with your choice of sweet cracker or wafer.  If you don't have a large enough plate, place the cookies in bowls or plates next to the Chocolate Chip Dessert Cheese Ball.

Use a knife or spoon to scoop out a serving of this delicious Dessert Cheese Ball.

 

Yum!  Have a bite!