Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball
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Every holiday season, I end up making at least one dessert cheese ball, and this strawberry version is the one that disappears first. It’s creamy, fruity, and coated in mini chocolate chips, so it looks like a party dessert but comes together with almost no work.
If you’ve made my Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball before, this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball is the fun, berry-flavored spin on it, kind of like strawberry cheesecake in dip form.
Ingredients for a Strawberry Cheese Ball
- 2 tubs (8 oz each) strawberry cream cheese, softened
The flavored cream cheese tubs give the strongest berry flavor without turning the ball watery. - 1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
Adds structure. If you skip it, the ball won’t hold shape as well. - 1½ cups powdered sugar
Sweetens without graininess. Regular sugar won’t blend smoothly here. - 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
- 1 tablespoon half and half or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups mini chocolate chips
Mini chips stick best — I’ve tried full-size, and they just fall off when you slice.
How to Make a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball
Start by beating the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, jam, milk, and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice so no powdered sugar hides in the corners.
Scoop the mixture onto plastic wrap, cover, and shape it into a ball.
Don’t worry if it feels soft, chilling will firm it up. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, though I usually leave mine overnight. If you rush it, the ball will smear when you try to coat it.
Once firm, unwrap and roll the ball in mini chocolate chips until it is completely covered. I press them in by hand so they really stick.
- I’ve even shaped this into a heart for Valentine’s Day. The strawberry and chocolate combo makes it perfect for that.
Best Dippers for a Dessert Cheese Ball
The classic trio is Graham crackers, vanilla wafers, and pretzels. Personally, pretzels are my favorite not only because of the salt vs sweet combo, but pretzels are a strong dipper that holds up well with a cream cheese based dip.
I’ve also set this out with animal crackers, chocolate teddy grahams, and fresh strawberries (apples work too) for dipping, and all get eaten up quickly.
For a full table of the most delicious party food, I recommend offering both sweet and savory cheese balls. This strawberry ball pairs perfectly with an Everything Bagel Cheese Ball, allowing guests to enjoy both salty and sweet options.
Other Dessert Cheese Balls to Try
Once you start making dessert cheese balls, it’s hard to stop.
This strawberry chocolate chip version often sits beside the Peanut Butter Cheese Ball Dip or the colorful Birthday Cake Cheese Ball. Each one has a different flavor and falls under those easy to make-ahead recipes that hold up well for parties.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Keep your cheese ball covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend waiting to coat it in chocolate chips until the day of serving.
If you want to prep further ahead, wrap the uncoated ball tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then roll in chocolate chips before serving.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- plastic wrap
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 16 oz. each strawberry cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
- 1 tablespoon half and half or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups mini chocolate chips for coating
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened strawberry cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, strawberry jam, half and half, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once to make sure no powdered sugar is left unmixed.
- Transfer the mixture onto plastic wrap, cover tightly, and shape into a ball. It will feel soft at this stage, but chilling will firm it up.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Tip: If you try to roll it too soon, the chocolate chips won’t stick and the ball will smear.)
- Once firm, unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in mini chocolate chips until completely coated. Press chips in gently with your hands to make sure they stay put.
- Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzels, or fresh fruit for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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