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Get ready for game day with an easy take-along dessert! Perfect for making ahead and pulling out for dessert time, you can customize it to your team’s colors!

football shaped cheese ball with dippers

Tailgating is a super fun activity regardless of whether you are AT a game, watching a game at home with friends, or not watching anything at all.

Truth be told, I’m all about sports entirely for the food. I’m not even ashamed.

I love a good “feast” as my kids call it, and it’s really not complete without dessert. This dessert cheese ball is heavenly. Perfect for making ahead and pulling out for dessert time! You don’t HAVE to make it in a football shape or decorate as I did, but you COULD mix it up and use M&Ms to support your favorite team’s colors!

Try my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip, or my Ham & Cheese Sliders, too!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy – just mix, shape, chill and decorate. Devour.
Fun– it’s super cute and fits the tailgating theme, regardless of where you are!
Common ingredients – everything to make this recipe can be found at your local store!

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Recipe Ingredients and Possible Substitutes

The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.

ingredients for chocolate chip cheese ball laid out and labeled

How to make this recipe

Scroll for Recipe

The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Making the Cheese Ball

Blend together the cream cheese and butter until well combined.

Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and mix well, then fold in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Wrap and Chill

Lay out some plastic wrap and dump the mixture on the wrap.

Enclose in the wrap, and begin to shape into a football shape.

Chill for an hour.

Decorate

Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap.

Begin with the white chocolate chips, and arrange them like laces on a football.

Scoop chocolate chips onto the rest of the ball and cover the outside of the ball.

Set on a serving platter and add cookies, pretzels and other dippers.

Kylee’s Notes

Soften the butter and cream cheese – but don’t melt. If you push your thumb into it, it should leave a dent – but not fall apart.

If the ball is too soft to shape when you first make it, wrap it and freeze for 30 minutes. Shape gently then set in the refrigerator until ready to decorate.

Have a platter ready!

Serve chocolate chip cheese ball with nilla wafers, graham crackers, pretzels, and fruit if you’re feeling healthy.

More Game Day Eats:

Baked Coconut Shrimp. These easy baked coconut shrimp are the perfect appetizer or light dinner. Crispy, crunchy and with a dipping sauce, this one is a winner!
Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball. Make this easy Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball for your next party or gathering, and watch it disappear fast! This is a great make ahead appetizer!
Ham & Pineapple Cheese Ball. Easy and fast to mix up, and place in the fridge for later. A great make ahead appetizer, this Ham & Pineapple Cheese Ball is sure to please the majority of guests!
Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers. These little beauties are the best appetizer in town! A yummy mix of spicy sausage, cream cheese, onion and garlic mean these disappear fast! Make a double batch for a crowd.
ALL APPETIZER RECIPES

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