This date night inspired twist on the retro cheese ball is easy, quick, and a serious showstopper. Just grab a couple of rounds of cream cheese, mold them into a heart shape, and dunk in a sweet, salty, very pink topping. Perfect for date night or a girl’s night in.
Heart-Shaped Cheese Ball, at a Glance
- ⏰ Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serves: 10
- 🛒 Key Ingredients: Boursin (or cream cheese), dried fruit, olives, sun-dried tomatoes
- 💃 Perfect For: Valentine’s Day, date nights, a girl’s night in, anytime you need a showstopping appetizer.
Why This Recipe Works
A cheese ball may be a little bit retro, but it’s a classic for a reason. It’s super speedy, easy, genuinely delicious, and always a crowd-pleaser.
- All you need to do is wrap a couple of rounds of cream cheese in clingfilm.
- Use your hands to mold it into a rough heart.
- Dunk it in a pink-toned topping.
For the topping, I’ve gone for a lovely sweet and salty mixture of goodies that are easy to find – and that you may have in your kitchen already.
I would usually use Boursin cheese (a soft cheese flavored with garlic and herbs). But I developed this recipe in New Zealand, and I could not find it ANYWHERE. So I settled for using rounds of cream cheese, which worked beautifully.
If you’re after a festive twist on this recipe, you’ll love this Christmas tree cheese ball.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cheese. For ease, use rounds of cream cheese that are already (subtly) flavored – or use rounds of Boursin.
- Dried fruit. I’ve gone for dried cranberries and apricots because I love the flavor and color they bring, but you could play around based on what you like. Dried figs, mango, or strawberries would be lovely too.
- Sundried tomatoes. One of the best umami flavour boosters out there in my opinion! Try to find ones in olive oil, and ones labelled ‘semi-dried’ tend to be a little softer, which works well here.
- Olives. Kalamata olives are my absolute favorites, so that’s what I’ve used here. If you don’t like olives, just skip them, or use more of another ingredient you do like.
- Herbs. I’ve gone for fresh oregano and thyme, but you could use basil, cilantro, parsley, sage, or rosemary (chop the rosemary finely if you use it).
How to Make the Heart-Shaped Cheese Ball
- Lay out a piece of cling film on your kitchen counter, then place the two Boursin rounds (or cream cheese rounds) on top of each other in the middle of the cling film. Wrap the cheese tightly, then use your hands to flatten the cheese together and shape it into a rough heart.
- Mix the topping ingredients on a plate that will fit the cheese heart.
- Unwrap the cheese, then lay it on top of the mixture on the plate. Press the cheese into the coating, using your hands to sprinkle and press the coating over the sides too.
- Flip the cheese, then fill up any gaps. Transfer to a serving plate, and enjoy with your favorite crackers (I love it with pita chips), fluffy chili cheese focaccia, or fresh no-knead rosemary parmesan bread.
Heart Cheese Ball FAQs
Sure! Use more sundried tomatoes, or just leave the olives out.
You absolutely can. The assembled cheese heart will be fine for 3 – 4 days, covered in the fridge.
It’s best when it’s not fridge-cold, so get it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.
Try dolloping leftovers into pasta to make a quick, creamy pasta sauce, or sprinkle it over this pink beet risotto, pink feta pasta, or these creamy sundried tomato ‘Marry Me’ white beans as a little topper. You could also smear it onto 2-ingredient dough Greek yogurt bagels.
Watch How to Make the Heart Cheese Ball
Like this recipe? Try these easy appetizers next
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
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10 Minute Heart Shaped Cheese Ball
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This date night inspired twist on the retro cheese ball is easy, quick, and a serious showstopper. Just grab a couple of rounds of cream cheese, mold them into a heart shape, and dunk in a sweet, salty, very pink topping. Perfect for date night or a girl’s night in.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup olives, finely chopped (I like to use Kalamata)
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried apricots, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon crushed almonds
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- A handful of thyme and oregano leaves
- 2 rounds of cream cheese or Boursin (roughly 14oz/400g total)
Instructions
- Form the cheese heart. Lay a piece of clingfilm out on your kitchen counter. Place the two rounds of cream cheese or Boursin on top of each other in the middle of the clingfilm. Wrap the cheese tightly, then use your hands to flatten it and shape it into a rough heart (it doesn’t need to be perfect!) Pop it into the fridge to firm up slightly while you mix the coating.
- Prepare the topping. Add 1/2 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes, 1/4 cup of chopped olives, 2 tablespoons of chopped dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons of chopped dried apricots, 1 tablespoon of crushed almonds, 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes, and the thyme and oregano to a plate (or bowl) that will fit your cheese heart on. Mix to combine well.
- Coat the cheese heart. Get your cheese heart out of the fridge, then unwrap it. Press the heart into the plate with the toppings firmly, and press the topping all over the sides of the cheese. Flip it over, and fill in any gaps. Transfer to a serving plate, and enjoy with your favorite crackers or soft bread.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: The coated cheese heart will keep well, covered, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It’s best served when it’s not fridge-cold, so I’d recommend taking it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you want to serve it.
INGREDIENT NOTES: Play around with the toppings, based on what you like. Swap the dried cranberries and apricots for raisins, sultanas, dried figs, strawberries or mango. Skip the olives if you’re not a fan, or use more sundried tomatoes. To make it nut-free, swap the almonds for pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
LEFTOVERS? Try stirring any leftovers into pasta or risotto for an extra hit of creaminess, smear it onto toast or use it as a topper for two-ingredient dough Greek yogurt bagels.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: appetizers
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 30g
