Cheese Ball Cauldron

Conjure up some magic by serving a cheddar bacon cheese ball that looks like a witch’s cauldron. This poppy seed coated Cheese Ball Cauldron with orange, yellow, and red pepper flames sitting atop pretzel rod logs will enchant your Halloween party guests.

A version of this Cheese Ball Cauldron is on the back cover of my book, Hungry Halloween featuring Movie Monster Munchies, Bewitched Buffet, and Dead Man’s Diner. It was one of the first recipes I developed for my book way back in 2010 and I was so excited about it.

It’s such a simple appetizer to make for a witch-themed Halloween party yet it really is impressive looking.

I’ve served these cheesy cauldrons at several parties over the years and they are always a hit with my Halloween party guests.

Hungry Halloween Cookbook

There is nothing more exciting to me than creating fun food for our Halloween parties which we’ve been hosting since 2007. My friends and family encouraged me to put my ideas into a cookbook and I’m so glad they did.

Writing that book lead me to blogging and I couldn’t be happier sharing fun holiday and party recipes here at Hungry Happenings with all of you.

We still host Halloween parties and each year I try to come up with a clever way to serve cheese. My party guests always gobble up any cheese I serve and they always appreciate a good cheese ball recipe.

Cheese Ball Recipe Variations

This cheese ball cauldron is simply made using a blend of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon. The beauty of this food craft though, is that you can use your favorite cheese ball recipe.

I have several other cheese ball recipes you can choose from.

My favorite is the Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball, but the Camembert Cheese Ball, Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Ball, the White Cheddar Cheese Ball are wonderful too.

You can even make a sweet version of this Cheese Ball Cauldron using an Oreo Cheesecake Cheese Ball. I made one into a Pot of Gold for St. Patrick’s Day and the concept it exactly the same. You could pipe in some green decorating gel or pudding then add some spider and eyeball sprinkles to the top of your sweet cauldron.

Coat Cheese Ball in Poppy Seeds

• Stir together 8 ounces cream cheese, 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of finely chopped bacon until well combined.
• Roll into a ball.
• Pour poppy seeds into a shallow bowl.
• Roll the cheese ball in the poppy seeds leaving about 1/3 of the ball on one end uncovered.
• Stir the remaining 3 ounces cream cheese until soft and creamy.
• Spoon into a disposable pastry bag.
• Snip off the tip of the bag and pipe a thick tube of cream cheese around the edge of the uncovered area creating the rim of the cauldron.
• Sprinkle poppy seeds over the rim and top of the cauldron.

Alternatives to poppy seeds

If you’d prefer not to coat your cheese ball in poppy seeds you can use…

• Black Sesame Seeds
• Crushed Blue or Black Tortilla Chips

Decorate the cauldron

• Pipe a 1 1/2 inch round of cream cheese in the center of a plate.
• Break off 2 1/2 – 3-inch pieces from the ends of the pretzel rods.
• Arrange 10 pretzel rod pieces around the cream cheese on the plate so they look like logs on a fire.
• Enjoy the inner pretzel pieces as a snack.
• Set the cheese ball cauldron on top of the logs.
• Cut thin slices from the peppers then cut them into teardrop-shaped flames.
• Attach them to the base of the cauldron using the remaining cream cheese.
• Spoon guacamole into a pastry bag.
• Cut off the tip and pipe guacamole into the top of the cauldron.
• Allow a bit to drip over the rim.

• Serve with your favorite crackers.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Video and Recipe

Watch the video to see how easy it is to create your own Cheese Ball Cauldron for Halloween.

Print

Cheese Ball Cauldron

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Cheddar cheese ball rolled in poppy seeds decorated to look like a witch's cauldron makes a fun appetizer for Halloween.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Halloween

Keyword: cheese ball cauldron, halloween appetizer

Servings: 8 people

Author: Beth Jackson Klosterboer

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese plus 3 more ounces, softened
• 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon or real bacon bits
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds
• 5 pretzel rods
• 2 small red peppers
• 2 small orange peppers
• 2 small yellow peppers
• 2-4 tablespoons prepared guacamole

Instructions

1. Stir together 8 ounces cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon until well combined.
2. Roll into a ball.
3. Pour poppy seeds into a shallow bowl.
4. Roll the cheese ball in the poppy seeds leaving about 1/3 of the ball on one end uncovered.
5. Stir the remaining 3 ounces cream cheese until soft and creamy.
6. Spoon into a disposable pastry bag.
7. Snip off the tip of the bag and pipe a thick tube of cream cheese around edge of the uncovered area creating the rim of the cauldron.
8. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the rim and top of the cauldron.
9. Pipe a 1 1/2 inch round of cream cheese in the center of a plate.
10. Break off 2 1/2 - 3 inch pieces from the ends of the pretzel rods.
11. Arrange 10 pretzel rod pieces around the cream cheese on the plate so they look like logs on a fire.
12. Enjoy the inner pretzel pieces as a snack.
13. Set the cheese ball cauldron on top of the logs.
14. Cut thin slices from the peppers then cut them into tear drop shaped flames.
15. Attach them to the base of the cauldron using the remaining cream cheese.
16. Spoon guacamole into a pastry bag.
17. Cut off the tip and pipe guacamole into the top of the cauldron.
18. Allow a bit to drip over the rim.
19. Serve with your favorite crackers.
20. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

This recipe was originally published on September 23, 2017 but it first appeared in Hungry Halloween in 2010.

If you are looking for more festive food for your Halloween party,
be sure to check out all the Halloween recipes here on Hungry Happenings.

You might also like these witch-themed desserts and appetizers…

Halloween Cheese Ball Witch Hat

Crescent Roll Witch Hat Appetizers filled with Pesto Chicken Salad

Candy Filled Witch Cookies

Nutella Fudge Witch Hats

Have fun making this festive Halloween cheese ball.
If you make it be sure to let me know in the comments below.
I’d love it if you give the recipe a rating too.
Thanks, Beth