Description
These Halloween Cheese Balls are a spooky and delicious appetizer perfect for any Halloween party. Creamy cheese balls coated with crunchy Cheetos crumbs, black sesame seeds, and poppy seeds, adorned with crispy tortilla bat wings and olive eyes, create a fun and festive treat that’s sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Bat Wings
- 4 large green tortillas or wraps
Coating
- 2 cups Cheetos, finely crushed into crumbs
- 2 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
Cheese Balls
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 (4-oz.) package goat cheese, at room temperature
- Black pepper, to taste
Decoration
- Black and green olives, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Bat Wings: Heat the oven to 375°F. Cut the tortillas into 24 bat-shaped wings. Place them on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until they are dry and crisp but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Line a second large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the cheese balls.
- Prepare Coatings: Place the crushed Cheetos crumbs, black sesame seeds, and poppy seeds each in separate small bowls to create the coatings for the cheese balls.
- Make Cheese Balls: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, and black pepper to taste. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, form the cheese mixture into balls. Gently round and smooth each ball with your hands to achieve a uniform shape.
- Coat Cheese Balls: Roll each cheese ball in one of the prepared coatings—Cheetos crumbs, black sesame seeds, or poppy seeds—ensuring they are evenly coated. Place the coated balls onto the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to serve to allow them to firm up.
- Assemble and Decorate: Once the tortilla bat wings have cooled, gently press two wings into each cheese ball’s sides to create bat ears. Thinly slice the black and green olives and place slices on top of each cheese ball to serve as eerie eyes, adding the finishing spooky touch.
Notes
- To make the bat wings, you can use a bat-shaped cookie cutter or cut freehand with a sharp knife.
- Make sure the cheeses are at room temperature for easier mixing and smoother balls.
- For a spicier twist, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika to the cheese mixture.
- If Cheetos are not available, you can substitute with finely crushed cheese-flavored crackers.
- These cheese balls can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated; just assemble the bat wings right before serving to maintain their crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball with wings
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
