A rich, dark, fudgy, chocolatey brownie cheese ball – the perfect party dessert!
My obsession with World Cup soccer began in 1994.
As a young child, I fell in love with the Italian World Cup team… more specifically, I fell in love with their star player, Roberto Baggio, and decided I was going to marry him someday.
(My Italian grandmother was immensely happy to hear this.)
For my birthday that year, I received a soccer jersey and tickets to the Italy-Bulgaria semifinals game, where my favorite player scored both goals in an Italy victory.
It’s probably safe to say I’m not quite as invested in the World Cup this year.
For one thing, my dream husband is retired… and married to someone else.
Sigh.
I’m pretty sure the jersey would no longer fit me, and nowadays I am more apt to root for the underdog than for powerhouses like Italy. But I still enjoy watching.
This giant chocolate brownie dessert cheese ball was brought to a World-Cup-watching party for Saturday’s Italy-England game.
It was adapted from the original version above: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cheese Ball.
The recipe is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a giant ball of chocolate brownie cheesecake.
Easy to make, easy to transport, gluten-free, no-bake, and—unlike desserts that are frozen or made with coconut oil—it can be set out at a party without immediately melting.
Don’t be surprised if everyone congregates around the brownie cheese ball and completely forgets there’s even a game going on.
Who needs sports when you have chocolate and cheesecake?
Chocolate Brownie Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup peanut butter, or allergy friendly sub
- 8 oz cream cheese or coconut butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar (or Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, or more if needed
InstructionsÂ
- Dessert Cheese Ball Recipe: Bring the cream cheese and the peanut butter to room temperature (to a stir-able consistency). Mix together with a spoon in a deep bowl, then add the cocoa powder and vanilla and stir. Gradually add the powdered sugar: It will seem dry at first, but just keep stirring and it will eventually become creamy. Cover the bowl and freeze 6 hours or overnight (depending on the type of peanut butter used), until the mixture is no longer too sticky to spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Bring up the sides of the plastic wrap and twist very tightly to form a ball shape. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm enough that the plastic wrap can be removed without the ball sticking to the wrap. Place chocolate chips in a large bowl or ziploc bag, then roll the cheese ball until evenly coated with chocolate chips. Freeze until ready to serve (or refrigerate if not serving until the next day). Serve with graham crackers, sliced fruit, or anything else you desire.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Recipe Of The Day:
Oh my goodness! How does one come up with this fabulous idea!Whoever though of putting a dip into a sweet cheesecake ball should be given a medal!
Oh my gosh. This can’t be real life. This looks heavenly!
Wow! I can’t believe this is made with tofu! yum!
Anyone tried substituting Nutella or and almond spread instead of peanut butter? I’m not a peanut person.
You can do almond butter for sure. If you try nutella, please report back!
Looks delicious – just wish there was something I could use instead of cream cheese – tofu, perhaps?
Question on the powdered sugar- 2 cups seems like an awfully lot and would make it super sweet. Any ideas to reduce the sweetness?
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but when I blended the xylitol in my blender (and it’s a good one) it came out almost exactly the same as when I put it in. I tried again… same thing. It is really fine sugar in the first place. Suggestions?
How much xylitol are you using?
About a cup, if I remember correctly. Haha! Is that the problem?
Okay, I had been using Xyli Pure Xylitol, which is already a powder (I hadn’t used xylitol before, so I didn’t know). I now have received Xylo Sweet, which is pure xylitol and appears like sugar crystals. I blended 3 cups of that and it worked just great! 😉
You are a very clever young lady 🙂
On the 21 Day Fix, cream cheese is not on the proteins list, but cottage cheese and ricotta both are. Would blended cottage cheese or ricotta work, or would they not be firm enough? Thanks!!
So…silly me in my excitement of breaking a detox decided to make this today but did not have the time to chill it… NEVER FEAR it makes a killer dip as well! Thank you for giving me the best tummy ache ever!