Let’s just go ahead and admit that back in the day we never had the pine cone shape cheese concoction. My aunts and grandmothers always showed up to soirees and funerals with the round kind – almost always covered in tiny pieces of chopped pecans. By the late 1990s, cheese balls had nearly disappeared from the tablescape, replaced by the block of cream cheese covered with hot pepper jelly. But like deviled eggs and retro Disney tees, (affiliate link) the cheeseball is making an old-school comeback. And for a campground festive spread, these pine cones are easy and beg to be photographed.
You can really use any favorite cheeseball recipe. They are usually some sort of combination of cream cheese, cheedar or bleu, spices, peppers, and nuts. I like this easy pineapple one because it’s a little less heavy, and the fruitiness gives it a natural compatibility with the great outdoors.
Campground Pineapple Pine Cone Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese
- 16 oz crushed pineapple, well drained
- 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 tsp Lawry's seaoning salt
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 10 oz whole roasted almonds
- crackers I use Wheat Thins
Instructions
- Drain the pineapple very well, squeezing out extra juice.
- Combine pineapple with cream cheese, pepper, onions, seasoning, and pecans.
- Roll into two balls and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Form balls into shape of pine cones (it helps to get a real pine cone to look at). Place where you want them on serving dish because it will be hard to move them after you've gotten started.
- Starting at the bottom, stick almonds into the cheese balls with pointed end facing outward. Continue row by row, including the sides.
- Garnish with rosemary and fresh cranberries (optional) for a holiday look. Serve with crackers.
