Chocolate Cheese Ball

Lennie's Note:

Kids love this sweet treat, as do a lot of adults. A nifty addition when placing appetizers or munchies out for guests.

• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Prep Time: 4 hrs
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12-20

Yield: 1.0 cheese ...

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chip
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• graham cracker (for spreading)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar, then the brown sugar, then vanilla; beat just until combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball; it helps to put your hands under the plastic wrap to help you form it without getting your hands sticky.
6. Place nuts in flat bowl and roll ball in pecans, trying to coat evenly.
7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
8. Serve with graham crackers.

Reviews

[LeeAnn]

This was great - the kids loved it as well as the adults. I melted 3/4 cup chocolate chips and added that to the cream cheese mixture then added another 3/4 cup of chocolate chips too. It was very good - even gave out the recipe to a guest at the party. Thanks Lennie!!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Excellent Lennie! Wow! If I had an option for more than 5 stars, i'd use it! I got raves from everyone at the party. I have never made a "cheeseball" before, because my husband doesn't like cheese, so i always have to disguise it in recipes and the word "cheeseball" does not lend itself to disguise very easily! LOL He does, however, like cream cheese. So when i found this recipe, i knew it would be a hit! I have to tell everyone tho, that while shopping for the ingredients, specifically the graham crackers, i found a new kind of graham to use. I originally knew that i would be using chocolate flavored grahams, but i also spotted the new "Honey Maid Honey Stix". They are PERFECT for the cheeseball! The stix are the size and shape of small baby teething biscuits, are honey flavored with a little sugar sprinkled on top and are strong enough to scoop the cheeseball without breaking. You can also purchase them in cinnamon flavor, which i will try next time (using both of the stix flavors and omitting the regular grahams altogether). I loved this recipe so much that i am making it again for camping this weekend! I could just go on and on raving about this recipe, but i won't. I'll just say to everyone, If you like cream cheese, TRY THIS!!! You will not be sorry!

[KeyWee]

Creamy, chocolatey, delicious!! And easy to do - a great make-ahead appetizer. I added the melted chips (as in Leeann's review) and it was a great hit at a birthday party. Already gave the recipe out three times!! Will definitely make again for my chocoholic friends! Thanks!!