Easy pumpkin cheese ball recipe looks like a pumpkin but has a spicy ranch and sharp Cheddar flavor. Make a Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween or leave plain for Thanksgiving - it's always a big hit at parties!
Step one
45 Let two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese come to room temperature.
2 Grind the cheese puffs to a powder in the blender.
4 Set aside.
Step two
8 Add the room temperature cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
10 Mix on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes until the cream cheese is smooth.
12 Add the spicy Ranch seasoning, the shredded cheese, the bell pepper, and the green onion and beat until well mixed and the ingredients are distributed through out the cream cheese mixture.
Step three
16 Place a double layer of plastic wrap on the counter.
18 Add a layer of the ground up Cheetos.
20 Spoon the cheese mixture into the middle of the Cheetos and use the plastic wrap to help shape it into a ball.
22 Add more of the Cheeto crumbs and continue to shape the mixture into a ball.
24 Continue adding crumbs and shaping with the plastic wrap until the cheese is covered with the Cheeto crumbs and is in a ball shape.
26 Bring the plastic wrap up tightly around the cheese ball and press it together to seal.
28 Add another layer of plastic wrap tightly around the cheese ball.
30 Use doubled rubber bands to create the indentations that make the "pumpkin" shape.
32 Chill overnight.
Step four
36 Before serving cut the rubber bands off carefully.
38 Use the bell pepper stem as the stem end of the pumpkin.
40 Garnish with fresh cilantro.
42 Use ripe black olives cut into triangles and attached with toothpicks to make eyes and mouth if you'd like it to look like a Jack-o'-lantern.
44 Serve with chips, crackers, and/or crudites.
