This pesto cheese ball wreath makes the most festive holiday appetizer. Cream cheese, pesto, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes combine to create a flavor explosion!

Easy to make with just five ingredients, this gorgeous wreath will be the star of your Christmas party.

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.
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I am so excited to start sharing all the fun and festive holiday recipes I’ve been working on for you! Yes, my work in the kitchen is never done… and luckily, that’s just how I like it!

This pesto cheese ball is just as delicious and beautiful to serve as it is easy to make. Bonus? It’s Keto friendly, so your low-carb friends will be thrilled to partake as well!

I love creating holiday appetizers and desserts that are classic flavors with a charming twist in presentation. This baked brie wreath, my snowman dessert cheese ball, and even this darling reindeer bacon ranch cheeseball are some reader favorites!

I can’t tell you any lies. I ate this pesto cheese for lunch for days after I made and photographed this recipe.

It’s so good, it’s hard to stop! I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did. Don’t you love when an appetizer is delicious and also so beautiful for parties? If you love that style as much as I do, don’t skip my elevated (yet totally classic) cheese and crackers, too!

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

Pesto Cheese Ball Wreath

Traditionally, pesto is considered a showcase of fresh basil. It’s an explosive flavor that simply needs a few additions to create the most delicious bright green sauce.

It’s delicious on most everything it touches, including this cheese ball!

Why You’ll Love It

  • Perfect Pesto Flavor – Pesto is a blended paste that combines the above ingredients into a flavorful sauce that works in a variety of ways, including this incredible pesto cheese ball!
  • Minimal Ingredients – Your grocery list is simple for this easy pesto appetizer! You’ll need just a few ingredients to create an addictive flavor explosion that your guests will crave.
  • Beautiful – This beautiful pesto cheeseball wreath is easier than it looks! You’re going to get requests for this pesto appetizer every year.

Cheese balls are not only delicious, but they can be made a day in advance – even two days can often work well. Take those last-minute dishes off your plate and consider ways to reduce your work load.

A plate with a wreath made of pesto cheese ball and tomatoes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

See printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

  • Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese is best. Not only does it bring the flavor, the texture actually holds together into the molded wreath shape.
  • Fresh Basil – So much basil! Much of it goes into the pesto but you’re going to have fun decorating the outside of this cute holiday wreath with fresh basil as well.
  • Garlic – You can take a shortcut and used pre-minced garlic, but in pesto, fresh garlic really shines.
  • Mozzarella – Do me a favor and grate your own mozzarella cheese! You won’t regret it- it’s just so much creamier and more delicious. Learn how to grate cheese here.
  • Red Pepper Flakes – Just a little spice goes a long way in this appetizer!
  • Parmesan – More cheese! It’s a cheese ball after all! Parmesan has a delicious strong flavor if you use a good quality brand.
  • Pine Nuts – Pine nuts have a sweet, subtle flavor, and it’s the texture that’s most important here. Don’t over-pulse your pesto in the food processor!
  • Olive Oil – Because no pesto is complete without it! Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
  • Cherry Tomatoes – These act like ornaments on your Christmas wreath, and you can add as many or as few as you’d like.
  • Salt and Pepper – to taste!

*Alternatively, you can top it with or fold in fresh basil pesto or pesto rosso instead of making your own pesto in this recipe.

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

Variations

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

How to Make

  1. In your food processor, combine basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl or the fitted bowl of your stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese with shredded mozzarella and the pesto sauce from your food processor. A bowl with ingredients for a pesto cheese ball
  3. Stir thoroughly or beat at a low-medium speed until well mixed.
  4. Shape into wreath form. You can do this in several ways, I go into more detail below. A pesto cheese ball on a white plate, before decorating
  5. Cover, refrigerate for three hours or until firm.
  6. Add your remaining chopped basil and sliced cherry tomatoes to the top for the wreath effect. A basil covered pesto cheese ball wreath
A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

Tips to Create the Cheese Ball Shape

There are a couple ways to create this wreath form! Here’s a few tips and methods that will create different looks.

    1. My method: Make a cheeseball in a bowl – just a classic round/circular shape. Create a hole in the center, pressing and shaping to flatten. Invert onto a platter and then smooth it out.
    2. Use a bundt pan! Line your bundt pan with plastic wrap, and scoop the cheese mixture into the bundt. Press firmly until it’s evenly flattened throughout.

Looking for a great bundt pan? This classic shape is very simple and should work well for this project!

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

For both methods, you’ll want to cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the pesto cheese ball is firm, which was around three hours when I tested this recipe. You could certainly make this the day before your event, as well! Just wait and add the remaining basil/tomatoes for decoration until you’re ready to serve.

Keep in mind, this pesto cheeseball is equally delicious in any form. You don’t need to take that next step to create the wreath shape – but it sure does make it beautiful to serve!

A spatula with pesto cheese on a marble countertop.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve a variety of items with this delicious pesto cheese ball! In fact, as I mentioned before, this pesto appetizer is Keto-friendly if served with a low carb option.

It’s such a simple way to make your guests feel special, knowing that you took their dietary restrictions into consideration.

A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

Serve this appetizer with the following:

  • tortilla chips
  • crostini
  • pita chips
  • carrots
  • bell peppers
  • cucumbers
  • cauliflower
  • broccoli
A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

How to Store

  • At Room Temperature – You can leave this pesto cheese ball out for up to two hours while serving.
  • Refrigerate – Make this cheese ball up to one day in advance (without topping with the fresh basil) and store tightly wrapped. After serving, you can store for up to one week in the refrigerator, though the fresh chopped basil exterior will begin to brown with storage.
A pesto cheese ball topped with cherry tomatoes on a white plate.

You’ll also love these 30 Creative Christmas Ideas for more ways to bring charm into your holiday season.

More Cheese Appetizers

A plate with a wreath made of pesto cheese ball and tomatoes.
5 from 5 votes
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Pesto Cheeseball Wreath

This pesto cheesecball wreath makes such a festive holiday appetizer. Cream cheese, basil and cherry tomatoes create a flavor explosion! Easy to make with minimal ingredients, this gorgeous wreath will be the star of your Christmas party.
Prep: 20 minutes
Refrigerate: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 16
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Ingredients  

  • 16 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella shredded (8 ounces)
  • 1 cup basil ½ cup in the pesto, and ½ cup reserved for topping
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • ½ cup parmesan fresh grated
  • salt and pepper to taste

Topping

  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes

Instructions 

  •  In your food processor, combine basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. 
  • In a large mixing bowl or the fitted bowl of your stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese with shredded mozzarella and the pesto sauce from your food processor.
  • Stir thoroughly or beat at a low-medium speed until well mixed. 
  • Shape into wreath form. You can do this in several ways, I go into more detail in the recipe notes below.
  • Cover, refrigerate for three hours or until firm.
  • Add your remaining chopped basil and sliced cherry tomatoes to the top for the wreath effect. 

Julie’s Tips

There are a couple ways to create this wreath form! Here’s a few tips and methods that will create different looks.
  1. My method: Make a cheeseball in a bowl – just a classic round/circular shape. Create a hole in the center, pressing and shaping to flatten. Invert onto a platter and then smooth it out. 
  2. Use a bundt pan! Line your bundt pan with plastic wrap, and scoop the cheese mixture into the bundt. Press firmly until it’s evenly flattened throughout. 
Another quick tip? Eliminate the pesto (ingredients placed in the food processor in the instructions above) and use store bought pesto instead! Simply drain any excess oil and replace those ingredients with 1/3 cup store bought. 
Calories: 130.51kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.69g | Protein: 2.97g | Fat: 12.7g | Saturated Fat: 6.26g | Cholesterol: 33.31mg | Sodium: 141.72mg | Potassium: 55.88mg | Fiber: 0.06g | Sugar: 1.08g | Vitamin A: 437.8IU | Vitamin C: 1.22mg | Calcium: 65.69mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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