Melted Snowman Cheese Bites (Printable)

Creamy cheese balls shaped with olive buttons and carrot noses for a festive winter appetizer.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese Base

01 - 8.8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 3.5 oz grated mozzarella cheese
03 - 2 tbsp sour cream
04 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1/4 tsp onion powder
06 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Decoration

07 - 12 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine)
08 - 36 thin black olive slices
09 - 12 small carrot tips
10 - 24 pretzel sticks
11 - Fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped (optional)
12 - Crackers or sliced baguette, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Combine cream cheese, grated mozzarella, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until smooth and fully blended.
02 - Using your hands, shape 12 large, slightly flattened cheese balls, approximately 2 tablespoons each. Arrange them on a serving platter, allowing edges to drip for a melted effect.
03 - Place one small mozzarella ball atop each base, pressing gently to adhere.
04 - Attach black olive slices as buttons and eyes, place a small carrot tip for the nose, insert two pretzel sticks on each side for arms, and optionally wrap chives or parsley around the neck as a scarf.
05 - Present immediately with crackers or sliced baguette.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're impossibly easy to make, requiring no cooking and just ten minutes of your actual hands-on time
  • Kids and adults alike go wild for the playful presentation—it's conversation and laughter on a plate
  • Naturally vegetarian and naturally gluten-free if you skip the pretzel arms, making them inclusive for everyone at your table
  • You can assemble them ahead of time, so you're never stressed during the party
02 -
  • The pretzel arms are the one thing that cannot be assembled ahead—they'll absorb moisture and turn soggy within minutes. It's worth those thirty seconds of last-minute assembly for the payoff.
  • If your cream cheese is cold from the fridge, it will be impossible to work with smoothly. Let it sit on the counter until it's genuinely soft; this is non-negotiable and makes the difference between silky and chunky.
  • Black olives stain your fingers and sometimes your cutting board. Use a paper towel as you work, and don't panic about the dark juice—it washes away and tastes like victory.
03 -
  • Use a small spoon or melon baller to portion out your cheese base consistently—it sounds fussy, but evenly sized snowmen look infinitely more intentional and beautiful on a platter
  • If your mozzarella balls are cold and won't stick, just dip the bottom in the cheese base mixture before pressing them on—it acts like an edible glue and they'll hold perfectly
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