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If you’re looking for a sweet treat that will win your Super Bowl party, you’ve found it. This Chocolate Cheeseball football is a sweet and decadent touchdown!
Chocolate Cheeseball Recipe
I’m going to shut down any speculation right now: THIS DOES NOT HAVE CHEESE IN IT. Unless you’re counting cream cheese, then it totally does. This chocolate “cheeseball” is a rich, sweet, decadent chocolate dip that will absolutely win your next party. And if you shape and decorate it like a football, it is ready to win the Super Bowl (party, that is) or your Fall sporting festivities. I rolled mine in mini chocolate chips to help elevate the look and served it with a myriad of store-bought crackers and cookies. In a sea of chips + salsa, it is a welcome snack surprise.
Ingredients
*You can find instructions and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour – You will heat-treat this in the microwave so it is safe to eat.
- Salted butter, melted – I like to use salted butter in all of my bakes. You can use unsalted butter if that is your preference, but you may want to add a little extra salt to the mix to help cut the sweetness a tad.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract – The vanilla gives this a great base flavor!
- Dutch processed cocoa powder – You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand.
- Salt – Again, this will help cut the richness of the dip just a bit!
- Cream cheese, cut into 8 portions – Use the regular cube of cream cheese, not the spreadable tub kind.
- Mini chocolate chips – You will roll the cheeseball in this upon completion.
- White chocolate melts – You will only need the melts if you intend to decorate this like a football!
How to Make a Chocolate Cheeseball
- Measure the flour into a microwave safe bowl. Heat-treat by microwaving for 45 seconds or until the flour reaches 160°F. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Next, add in the vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, salt and cream cheese. Mix until completely combined.
- Line a medium sized bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the cheeseball mixture to the lined bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Use the plastic wrap to help shape the mixture into a ball.
- Pour the mini chocolate chips into a bowl, place the cheeseball into the bowl and carefully roll the ball in the mini chocolate chips until completely covered. Once covered, shape into a football.
- Melt the white chocolate melts according to the package’s directions and then pipe lines onto the football.
- Store the cheeseball in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve with mini Nilla wafers, graham crackers, or cookies.
How should I store this dessert cheeseball?
Once formed, store your chocolate cheeseball in an airtight container or tightly covered in the fridge for 3-5 days. When you’re ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it reaches dippable and spreadable consistency.
Do I have to decorate this like a football?
Nope! This can be served just as a chocolate round if you’re not really a football kinda fam. This would be a divine treat for any occasion!
Karli’s Kitchen Faves
Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!
- Kitchenaid Mixer – I really love this thing. It’s not necessary for making good cookies, but I love the size of the bowl and the power. A Hand Mixer is also an excellent option for when you don’t want to mix things by hand.
- Piping bag – These are disposable, meaning you do not have to clean them ha. They are durable and won’t burst and leak your frosting.
- Piping tips – This is a set of my 4 favorite piping tips. I used a small round tip for the lines on the football.
- Spatula – I love these silicone spatulas for scraping down the sides of the mixer.
- Bowl – I love how giant these are! They’re perfect for rolling the cheeseball in mini chocolate chips and storing it in the fridge!
Party Food Snacks
Chocolate Cheeseball
Ingredients
- 1 cup (152g) all-purpose flour, heat-treated
- 1/2 cup (111g) salted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup (162g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (58g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (40g) dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 portions
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup white chocolate melts
Instructions
- Measure the flour into a microwave safe bowl. Heat-treat by microwaving for 45 seconds or until the flour reaches 160°F. Set aside.1 cup (152g) all-purpose flour, heat-treated
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.1/2 cup (111g) salted butter, melted, 2/3 cup (162g) brown sugar, 1/4 cup (58g) granulated sugar
- Next, add in the vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, salt and cream cheese. Mix until completely combined.2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup (40g) dutch processed cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 8 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 portions, 1 cup (152g) all-purpose flour, heat-treated
- Line a medium sized bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the cheeseball mixture to the lined bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Use the plastic wrap to help shape the mixture into a ball.
- Pour the mini chocolate chips into a bowl, place the cheeseball into the bowl and carefully roll the ball in the mini chocolate chips until completely covered. Once covered, shape into a football.1 1/2 cups (300g) mini chocolate chips
- Melt the white chocolate melts according to the package’s directions and then pipe lines onto the football.1/4 cup white chocolate melts
- Store the cheeseball in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve with mini Nilla wafers, graham crackers, or cookies.
Can you use almond flour instead if you don’t want to heat treat it?
I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour, but I imagine it would work!