Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball

Every holiday season, I end up making at least one dessert cheese ball, and this strawberry version is the one that disappears first. It’s creamy, fruity, and coated in mini chocolate chips, so it looks like a party dessert but comes together with almost no work.

If you’ve made my Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball before, this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball is the fun, berry-flavored spin on it, kind of like strawberry cheesecake in dip form.

Ingredients for a Strawberry Cheese Ball

• 2 tubs (8 oz each) strawberry cream cheese, softened
  The flavored cream cheese tubs give the strongest berry flavor without turning the ball watery.
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
  Adds structure. If you skip it, the ball won’t hold shape as well.
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
  Sweetens without graininess. Regular sugar won’t blend smoothly here.
• 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
• 1 tablespoon half and half or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups mini chocolate chips
  Mini chips stick best — I’ve tried full-size, and they just fall off when you slice.

How to Make a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheese Ball

Start by beating the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, jam, milk, and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice so no powdered sugar hides in the corners.

Scoop the mixture onto plastic wrap, cover, and shape it into a ball.

Don’t worry if it feels soft, chilling will firm it up. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, though I usually leave mine overnight. If you rush it, the ball will smear when you try to coat it.

Once firm, unwrap and roll the ball in mini chocolate chips until it is completely covered. I press them in by hand so they really stick.

• I’ve even shaped this into a heart for Valentine’s Day. The strawberry and chocolate combo makes it perfect for that.

Best Dippers for a Dessert Cheese Ball

The classic trio is Graham crackers, vanilla wafers, and pretzels. Personally, pretzels are my favorite not only because of the salt vs sweet combo, but pretzels are a strong dipper that holds up well with a cream cheese based dip.

I’ve also set this out with animal crackers, chocolate teddy grahams, and fresh strawberries (apples work too) for dipping, and all get eaten up quickly.

For a full table of the most delicious party food, I recommend offering both sweet and savory cheese balls. This strawberry ball pairs perfectly with an Everything Bagel Cheese Ball, allowing guests to enjoy both salty and sweet options.

Other Dessert Cheese Balls to Try

Once you start making dessert cheese balls, it’s hard to stop.

This strawberry chocolate chip version often sits beside the Peanut Butter Cheese Ball Dip or the colorful Birthday Cake Cheese Ball. Each one has a different flavor and falls under those easy to make-ahead recipes that hold up well for parties.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Keep your cheese ball covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend waiting to coat it in chocolate chips until the day of serving.

If you want to prep further ahead, wrap the uncoated ball tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then roll in chocolate chips before serving.