The Reason Cold Ingredients Aren't Ideal For Cheese Balls

Cream cheese is a pretty amazing, tasty, and diverse ingredient. Think about it, this creamy block of cheesy perfection can be used as a base for sweet dishes like cream cheese frosting or New York-style cheesecake. And let's not forget that it's the basis for savory dishes like sauces, dips, or cheese balls. With the popularity of meat and cheese trays, a cheese ball can be an unexpected addition to your grazing boards.

But if you've ever had a cheese ball fail to come together in a cohesive ball shape, you might be reluctant to try making another one. The next time you're making this treat, there's one tip you need to follow to ensure you end up with a smooth, creamy end product. According to The Kitchn, if your cheese ball is hard to work with as you're making it, you may be adding your ingredients while they're still too cold to work with.

Unfortunately, starting your cheese ball with cold ingredients can result in a lumpy product that can look unappealing. It's best to start with a room temperature block of cream cheese, so it's easier to work with and easier to shape into a ball. Sometimes you don't have a long time to wait before making it or maybe you forgot to remove it from the fridge in time. What do you do then?

Luckily, there are some speedier ways to bring cream cheese up to room temperature rather than letting it sit out on the counter for hours. As noted by Completely Delicious, to get your cream cheese malleable you can put it in a bowl of warm water (while still wrapped in the foil packaging), remove all packaging and pop it into the microwave for about 10 seconds, or cut it into cubes and place it on a plate. So, the next time you're whipping up a cheese ball, make sure you don't grab the cream cheese directly from the fridge.