Auntie Jo’s Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

You know those bright orange nut covered softball-sized balls of cheese that make a terrifying appearance around the holidays?  Well this is not one of those.

This is creamy, sweet, chocolate goodness.  This is a deconstructed cheesecake.  This is your chance to skip the cake and just eat cream cheese frosting with your fingers.

I love dessert parties.  Why don’t we have more dessert parties?  Spiked cocoa, mocha truffles, white Russians, caramel apples, Champagne, carrot cupcakes, mulled wine, macaroons.  And Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball. What better way to spend Halloween than inviting a few friends and getting sugared up, adult style?

Beautifully retro, this Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball is a serious crowd pleaser. Which, I’m sure, is why Jeff’s Auntie Jo picked this, of all her recipes, to share with me. She tucked her cute little recipe card right in with a wedding shower gift. Auntie Jo suggests spreading it onto graham crackers, but I like Nilla wafers myself.  Jeff is a big fan of the Nilla ‘wich, with plenty of creamy goodness smeared inside.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups mini chocolate chips, divided

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Nilla wafers or graham crackers for serving

Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the sugars, vanilla, and half of the chocolate chips.  Divide the mixture in two.  Using plastic wrap, roll each half into  a ball.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Remove from the fridge and roll one ball in the remaining chocolate chips, and the other in the chopped nuts.  Refrigerate for another hour.  Remove from the fridge a few minutes before serving with the wafers or graham crackers.