NY Bagel-Style Mini Cheese Balls: Bite-Sized Savory Snacks

I love miniature, bite-sized food, and these mini cheese balls are my new favorite appetizer. These little two-bite treats combine smooth cream cheese with smoked salmon, fresh chives, and everything bagel seasoning for a bright, savory bite.

Serve them with bagel chips and you’ll be delighted. Add quick pickled red onions and capers on the side and they’ll taste just like a New York City lox bagel breakfast.

These gorgeous little two-bite, miniature cheese balls are dressed up with smoked salmon, chives, and everything bagel seasoning and taste like New York City when served with bagel chips, pickled red onions, and capers.

This mini cheese ball appetizer recipe is easy and elegant

Cheese balls are a classic party appetizer, and making them miniature elevates the presentation and the experience. A single large cheese ball can look disappointing once it’s been scooped into, while mini cheese balls stay attractive from start to finish. They’re also easier to plate and carry without making a mess, and guests love the individual two-bite format.

How to serve mini cheese balls

There are many fun serving options. Arrange the mini cheese balls on a platter and provide tongs, or give each one a small handle: a pretzel stick makes the whole bite edible, while toothpicks or skewers work well too. Place accompaniments like bagel chips, pickled red onions, capers, and a scatter of microgreens on the board to complete the experience.

Best cheeses for cheese balls

Classic cheese balls rely on cream cheese for that spreadable, creamy base. Some recipes add shredded cheddar or other firmer cheeses for texture and extra flavor. For these mini cheese balls, cream cheese alone is ideal because the smoked salmon brings depth and savory richness that otherwise might come from cheddar.

Which smoked salmon to use

I prefer refrigerated smoked salmon sold in trays at the grocery store for its fresh flavor and easy handling. If you need a more budget-friendly option, canned cooked salmon can work—remove bones and skin and add a drop of liquid smoke to mimic the smoked flavor.

These mini cheese balls shine at parties with champagne or vodka, but they’re just as perfect for brunch. Picture them on a holiday brunch table alongside rye or garlic bagel chips, pickled or thinly sliced red onions, drained and rinsed capers, and a handful of pea shoots or baby arugula for color and freshness.

If you’d like to make preparation easier, a small cookie scoop (disher) is helpful for portioning uniform balls. If you don’t feel like rolling them, the mixture is also delicious spread on bagels—consider doubling the batch so you can do both.

Where to find everything bagel seasoning

Everything bagel seasoning is widely available in grocery stores and specialty markets. If you don’t find a ready-made blend, you can mix sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and coarse salt to recreate the flavor at home. The seasoning is a simple way to add classic bagel-brunch flavor to the outside of each mini cheese ball.

If you enjoy cheese-forward recipes, there are many other approachable appetizers that pair well with these mini cheese balls, from soft pretzels to baked ricotta or warm fondue-style dishes. The mini cheese balls themselves are versatile and pair nicely with crunchy, salty, or pickled sides.

Mini Cheese Balls

Add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer or sturdy spoon until smooth and loosened.
Roughly chop the smoked salmon and stir it and the dill into the cream cheese until evenly combined. Smooth the surface, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
Scoop the chilled mixture into 1 to 1½ tablespoon portions and roll into balls.
Mix minced chives and everything seasoning in a shallow dish, then roll each ball in the chive-seasoning mixture, pressing gently so it adheres. Arrange the balls on a platter and refrigerate until ready to serve. Insert a toothpick, skewer, or pretzel stick into each ball just before serving if desired.

Mini Cheese Balls – NY Bagel Style

Rebecca Lindamood

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

These gorgeous little two-bite mini cheese balls are dressed up with smoked salmon, chives, and everything bagel seasoning.

Served with pickled red onions, capers, and bagel chips, they recreate the flavors of a NYC lox bagel brunch in miniature form.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature for about 1 hour
4 ounces smoked salmon roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 bunch chives minced
1 1/2 tablespoons everything seasoning

Instructions

To Make the Mini Cheese Ball Mixture

Use a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon to beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and loose.
Roughly chop the smoked salmon and stir it and the dill into the cream cheese. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 48 hours.

To Form the Mini Cheese Balls

Stir minced chives and everything seasoning together in a shallow dish.
Scoop the mixture into 1 to 1½ tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the chive mixture, pressing gently so the chives and seasoning stick.
Arrange on a platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate. The chives look their best within 8 hours, and the balls will keep for up to three more days in the refrigerator.
Just before serving, insert a toothpick, skewer, or pretzel stick into each ball if desired.