Chocolate Chip Toffee Cheese Ball!

 

I think cheese balls have gotten a bad name over time, mainly because of those awful balls of waxy cheese you can buy in the supermarkets and slap on a plate with crackers for a quick meal starter.  I love a good homemade cheese ball though and I have several recipes that are old standbys.  This is a dessert cheese ball and I will admit it's a fairly new concept to me, but what is not to like?  It's cream cheese, sugar, butter and chocolate and you serve it with graham crackers or fruit slices, which make it seem a little healthier.  This one has white and chocolate chips and Heath toffee bits...oh my!  Heath bits make anything good.  

Here is what you will need:

Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, brown sugar, powdered sugar, Heath bits, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and chopped pecans or walnuts.

Place the cream cheese and the butter on the counter for an hour or two to soften.  With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla, brown sugar, and confectioners sugar and mix until well blended and fluffy.  Stir in 1/2 cup Heath bits, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup vanilla chips.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.

Remove from refrigerator once chilled thoroughly.  Place 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 cup Heath bits on a piece of waxed paper.  Roll the cheese ball mixture into a ball and shape with your hands.  This mixture is sticky.  Roll the cheese ball in the chopped nuts and toffee bits until it is coated.  You might need to press the mixture into the cheese some.  Place the cheese ball on a pretty serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and re-chill for a couple of hours.  This is great served with graham crackers, apple slices or pear slices. 

 

Ingredients:

2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese softened (you can use light cream cheese)

1 stick butter (Do not substitute margarine)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups Heath bits  (1/2 for cheese ball and 1 cup for the coating

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts)