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Home » RECIPES » GLUTEN-FREE (GF)

Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls (Keto, GF)

Bright smiling woman with glasses, Heather Cooan portrait.
Modified: Aug 14, 2022 · Published: Nov 8, 2019 by Heather Cooan, MBA, ONC, FDNP, NTP · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments
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Image Credit: Kitchen Simplicity

Cheese balls are a holiday staple, they go way back to our grandmother's tables. These mini pumpkin cheese balls are super fun!

This is another fantastic recipe from Cheri over at Kitchen Simplicity, the blog that inspired my Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie Dip. These are so cute, they would be the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving menu. Your guests will be talking about them through the New Year.

This cheese ball recipe was already low-carb, but I altered it just a little bit to make it even lower carb. Thanksgiving is a day of munching, so the more carbs we can pull out of the snacks, the better! Your keto friends will appreciate it.

Lots of folks would probably just eat these on their own. But you can also serve them on a platter with all kinds of great things like cold cuts, celery sticks, jicama slices, cucumber slices, cheese crisps, carrot sticks, bell pepper squares, flax crackers, and Low-Carb Cheese Crackers.

These super cute mini pumpkin cheese balls would also make the most adorable garnish on just about anything and everything including cold cut platters and veggie trays. Spruce up your charcuterie, so festive!

Let me know what your guests think if you serve them!

Recipe

mini pumpkin cheese balls on a platter

Mini “Pumpkin” Cheese Balls

Heather Cooan
These little guys are kinda spicy! These mini "pumpkin" cheese balls are a very different Thanksgiving appetizer, your guests will be impressed.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Snacks
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 104 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
  • ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 2 Green Onions
  • Paprika

Instructions
 

  • Mix cream cheese, red peppers, garlic and cayenne together until well blended. Stir in cheddar cheese and chill.
  • Roll the cheese mixture into 1 inch balls and then roll them through paprika to cover. Use a butter knife to make segment indentions like a pumpkin.
  • Cut green onion stems into 1 inch pieces, fold in half length-wise and add it to the pumpkins like a stem.
  • Store in the refridgerator until you are ready to serve.

Notes

For a dairy-free version, substitute the cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese with Daiya products.
Serve with flax crackers or veggie slices. Some may just munch em all alone!

Nutrition Facts

Calories:104kcalCarbohydrates:1gProtein:4gFat:10gFiber:1g
Did You Make this Recipe?I'd love to see how it came out. Mention @HeatherCooan or tag #heathercooan!

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Comments

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Katerina says

    October 10, 2010 at 8:50 am

    They look very elegant and sophisticated.

Heather Cooan in the kitchen chopping a cucumber on a wooden cutting board.

Hi, I'm Heather!

I'm an Oncology Nutrition Consultant and lived experience mentor providing education, data-driven nutritional recommendations, and trauma-informed strategic environmental and lifestyle design for those living with cancer, autoimmunity, and complex chronic illness.

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Disclaimer: Functional oncology nutrition consulting is not medical nutrition therapy and does not diagnose, treat, manage, or cure any disease. It is intended to support the proper functioning of biological systems as adjunct support to your licensed healthcare provider's treatment plan. Personalized diet, lifestyle, and environmental recommendations aim to optimize well-being but are not a substitute for medical care. Any lab or genetic information used is solely for personalizing diet and lifestyle, not for diagnosing or treating disease. You are required to work with a licensed healthcare provider, including a primary care practitioner and, if you have or have had cancer, a medical oncologist. All recommendations, including supplements and labs, must be approved by your healthcare provider before implementation. Heather Cooan and the other consultants at Soil to Soul Nutrition’s role is to provide support and guidance, not to replace your physician's care.

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Heather Cooan | Oncology Nutrition Consultant and Educator
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