Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls

mini cheese balls recipe

I love serving these Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls at holiday gatherings. My favorite (by far) is the cranberry walnut version shown in the photo. From salty (bacon and cheese coated) cheese balls, to sweet and savory combination cheese bites. These yummy recipes will keep all your guests happy. You can even make more than one flavor of these cheese bites. This way your guests can try more than one flavor.

mini cheese balls recipe

Everything Youā€™ll Need

  • Ā¼Ā cupĀ chopped dried cranberries
  • Ā¼Ā cupĀ chopped walnuts
  • ā…›Ā cupĀ chopped fresh parsley
  • Ā½Ā teaspoonĀ salt
  • 1Ā poundĀ fat free cream cheeseĀ (two 8-oz blocks)
  • 16Ā all-natural pretzel sticks

Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls

mini cheese balls recipe

Low Calorie Cheese Balls Make Ahead and Storage Tips

Make AheadĀ ā€“ Assemble the cheese balls, cover and place in the fridge for later. You can make these several hours before serving. Ā 
Packaging Up LeftoversĀ ā€“ Add leftovers to a container with a lid and place in the fridge.Ā 
Refrigerated LeftoversĀ ā€“ Will hold in the refrigerator for 4 days.

mini cheese balls recipe

Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls Recipe

mini cheese balls recipe

Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls (5 Flavors)

Lose Weight By Eating
These mini cheese balls are just 120 calories, and make a great appetizer for parties and holiday gatherings.
If you ant to cut carbs, you can skip the pretzel sticks, or pick up some protein pretzels.
Special Tip: I like to work with cold cream cheese, though (depending on how cold your house is) that could make the pretzels break as you stick them in. If that is the case just let the cheese balls sit for 30 minutes after rolling and they will soften up enough to skewer them with pretzels.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings
Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients
Ā 
Ā 

The Best Mini Cheese Balls:

  • Ā¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
  • Ā¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ā…› cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Ā½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound fat free cream cheese (two 8-oz blocks)
  • 16 all-natural pretzel sticks

More Flavors To Try:

  • Almonds/Dried Blueberries/Lemon ZestĀ 
  • Shredded Cheddar/Crumbled Bacon/Chopped
  • Chives/Pistachio/Dried Apricots/Orange Zest
  • Red Pepper Flakes/Freshly Grated Parmesan/Parsley
  • Everything Bagel Seasoning/Shredded Cheddar/Parsley

Instructions
Ā 

  • To a shallow bowl combine the cranberries, walnuts, parsley, and salt. Mix together and set aside.
  • Lightly wet your hands (this will stop the cheese from sticking to you) and roll out 16 cream cheese balls. Add to a plate as you work.
  • Once you have all 16 cream cheese balls rolled out, move one at a time the bowl with the cranberries and roll around to coat with toppings.
  • Move to a serving platter as you work.
  • Once the cheese balls are all coated in the toppings, stick a pretzel into the tops, and push down about 1/4 of the way through.
  • Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cheese ballCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 2.9gProtein: 2.8gFat: 11.1gSaturated Fat: 6.3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 49mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.2gCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
Keyword appetizer, healthy Mini Cheese Balls, Low Calorie Cheese Balls, Low Calorie Mini Cheese Balls
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About the Author

Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.Ā 

After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and Iā€™ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearancesĀ by clicking here.

Nutrition and Calories in Cheese Balls

The nutrition is based off 1 ball, with a pretzel stick. You can cut the carbs a little buy skip-the the pretzels.

Low Sodium Tips: Omit the salt from the recipe (the cheese is salty enough).

More Weight Loss Recipes:

Lose Weight By Eating Cookbooks

Share this Low Calorie Recipe:

mini cheese balls recipe

Article History:

  • Originally written and published November 10, 2022 by Audrey Johns
  • Most recent update November 9, 2023 byĀ Audrey Johns