Cheese Olive Balls

Luschka's Note:

A fantastic recipe, a bit different from the others on the site, as it contains more spices. I usually have these in the lounge before settling my guests down for dinner, and they always go really quickly. I don't remember where I got it from, but it's certainly a favorite and I'll be making them for Christmas eve! These are best made the day before, and popped in the oven just before you need them.

• Total Time: 15 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 15 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 40

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (your favorite)
• 40 large pimento-stuffed green olives

Directions:

1. In a medium-size bowl, cream butter.
2. Mix in flour, cheese, paprika, cumin, and hot sauce.
3. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least an hour.
4. Dry olives on paper towels.
5. With a ball of cheese mixture that is close in size to the olive, flatten the cheese mixture in your palm, plop the olive in the center, work the mixture up around the olive, and then very gently roll it around between your palms.
6. Make sure the cheese mixture completely seals in the olive.
7. Repeat with remaining olives.
8. Place the cheese-wrapped olives on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in freezer until frozen. If you are planning to bake immediately, place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
9. Once frozen, you can store in resealable plastic bags in the freezer until you are read to bake them.
10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
11. Prior to baking, remove olive from the freezer and allow to stand at room temperature for approximately 15 minute (while the oven is heating).
12. Place olives on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to slightly warm.
13. Serve at room temperature to slightly warm.

Reviews

[Pismo]

These were good and easy to make, although a little time consuming. I think next time I'll put in a little more hot sauce and use jalepeno slices instead of green olives (I like the olives but a lot of people don't). I didn't refrigerate my dough because it was already pretty stiff, but I did freeze them for an hour or so before baking. Thanks!

[SmartCookie]

I remember my mother making Cheese Olive Balls every Christmas. Plus. I always asked for them on my birthday. This recipe has a little "kick" to it over the original. We liked the additional spiced. Actually, I added a bit more hot pepper sauce for my family. These a great appetizers, and they freeze so well. I will be making this one again and again!

[Chef #353066]

My mother used to make these & I loved them then. She didn't put cumin or hot sauce in hers, but what an improvement; & I thought they were good before..