Welcome to our new Book of the Month! I’ve been looking forward to doing Harry Potter for a long time. I love the books, so it was really important to me that this menu do them justice. Several drafts later, I’m proud to say I’ve planned a menu that I think even Snape would be unable to resist; it’s fun, magical, and (of course) incredibly tasty. So let’s get started!
As you may have guessed, our appetizer is inspired by the golden snitch, a staple in the wizarding game of Quidditch. I’ve seen several people make dessert snitches, so I decided to try my hand at a savory version. I’m really pleased with how they turned out! The cheese mix takes a little while to set, but the mixing and assembling processes are a snap. A perfect make-ahead appetizer!
Savory Snitch Cheese Balls
“To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill…”
— Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 1/2 tbsp barbeque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory & Brown Sugar)
- 1 1/2 cups pecan or walnut chips
- pretzel sticks (6 for each cheese ball)
- Makes 20 snitches
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and butter together until combined. While beating, add the milk and barbeque sauce a little at a time and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Put some plastic wrap over the bowl and chill for 4-24 hours.
- While you’re waiting for the cheese, spread your pecan chips out on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes.
Added bonus: they make your kitchen smell fantastic for the rest of the day. - Don’t be like me. Don’t forget about your first batch of pecans and burn them, lest the wrath of the of the mighty pecan gods be upon you.
Thou hast been warned! - When the cheese is semi-firm, take it out of the fridge and roll the cheese into 1″ wide balls (if they get a little too soft after being rolled, pop them back in the fridge for another 5 minutes).
- Roll the cheese balls in the pecans until entirely covered. Don’t be afraid to apply a little pressure–that’s what gets the nuts to stay stuck!
If you’ve got any extra pecans, you can throw them in a bowl with some dried cranberries and chocolate chips. Instant trail mix! - Gather six pretzel sticks for each cheese ball. With a sharp knife, carefully cut two sticks down to 1/3 their original length, another two sticks down to 2/3 length, and leave the last two as they are. Stick 3 pretzels on either side of each cheese ball at an angle, creating two slanted, staggered columns. In short, wings! 🙂
If all that was a little confusing, here’s a faster version: get three pretzel sticks, cut them three different lengths, do it again with another three pretzels, and affix these two groups to either side of a cheese ball to make wings. I hope that was easier! The final product should look like this. - Cover and chill those little guys until they’re ready to serve.
- Enjoy while reading all about Harry’s first capture of the golden snitch in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone!
Or you can watch the movie…I won’t tell. 😉
Here’s the Yummly printable!
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz package of cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 1/2 tbsp barbecue sauce
- 1 1/2 cups pecan or walnut chips
- pretzel sticks (6 for each cheese ball)
Instructions
- In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and butter together until combined. While beating, add the milk and barbecue sauce a little at a time and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Put some plastic wrap over the bowl and chill for 4-24 hours.
- While you're waiting for the cheese, spread your pecan chips out on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes.
- When the cheese is semi-firm, take it out of the fridge and roll the cheese into 1" balls (if they get a little too soft after being rolled, pop them back in the fridge for another 5 minutes).
- Roll the cheese balls in the pecans until entirely covered. Don't be afraid to apply a little pressure---that's what gets the nuts to stay stuck!
- If you've got any extra pecans, you can throw them in a bowl with some dried cranberries and chocolate chips. Instant trail mix!
- Gather six pretzel sticks for each cheese ball. With a sharp knife, carefully cut two sticks down to 1/3 their original length, another two sticks down to 2/3 length, and leave the last two as they are. Stick 3 pretzels on either side of each cheese ball at an angle, creating two slanted, staggered columns. In short, wings!
- Cover and chill those little guys until they're ready to serve.
- Enjoy while reading all about Harry's first capture of the golden snitch in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!
I can imagine them tasting awesome!
Thanks, Jeyna! I think the cheese and barbeque sauce come together in a really cool way here. It makes the cheese balls strong enough to hold their own in a hearty meal, but light enough to be a good appetizer. I’m kind of addicted to them now! 🙂
P.S. I love the “Not Human” story on your blog. It’s really insightful!
Thank you for reading 😀
[…] Lovers of the wizarding world are quite familiar with Hogwart’s favorite game, Quidditch. Snuggle up with a Harry Potter book and a plate of Savory Snitch Cheese Balls. […]