Is your holiday party bland, boring, and ball-less? Whip out these Schweddy Balls to surely shock and delight all your guests.

Ingredients

Popcorn Balls Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil 

• ½ Cup popcorn kernels

• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided

• ⅔ Cup peanuts

• ¾ Cup light corn syrup 

• ¾ Cup granulated sugar

• ¼ Cup water

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Classic Cheese Balls Ingredients:

• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature 

• 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 

• Zest of 1 lemon 

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp onion powder

• ¼ tsp dried oregano

• To taste kosher salt 

• To taste freshly ground black pepper

• Optional: to taste hot sauce of choice

• 1 Cup pecans, toasted + roughly chopped

Rum Balls Ingredients:

• 4 oz pecans, roasted + finely chopped

• 8 oz vanilla wafer cookies, ground

• 4 oz powdered sugar + more for coating

• ¾ oz cocoa powder + more for coating

• 4 oz dark rum

• 3 Tbsp light corn syrup or honey

• If needed, 1 oz water

Method

Serves: 6-8

Popcorn Balls Method:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add 2 or 3 kernels and once the kernels pop, add all the remaining kernels. 

3. Cover the pot with a lid and let sit for 30 seconds off the heat. Shake the pot if necessary to make sure all of the kernels come in contact with the hot oil. Once you hear consistent popping, continuously shake the pot until all of the kernels have popped, about 3 minutes.

4. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Make sure to remove any unpopped kernels now.  

5. Combine the corn syrup, sugar and water in a small saucepot. 

6. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches 235 °F.

7. Add the vanilla extract and remaining teaspoon of salt to the syrup and then, pour it over the popcorn. 

8. Using a plastic spatula, fold the popcorn until the syrup is well distributed.

9. Allow the mixture to cool until it is handleable, about 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, coat your hands/gloves in nonstick spray

10. Scoop mounds of popcorn mixture, then roll them into spheres.

11. Let the popcorn balls cool completely before serving.

Classic Cheese Balls Method:

1. Combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zestah, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer. 

2. Using the paddle attachment, combine until the cheese mixture is homogenous, about 2-3 minutes. 

3. If the cheese is too soft to handle at this time, refrigerate the mixture for 10-15 minutes. 

4. Separate the mixture into two or four equal size balls. Roll the cheese spheres in the chopped pecans.

5. Serve immediately with cracker or refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Rum Balls Method:

1. Combine the pecans, wafers, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the rum and light corn syrup. 

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. The mixture should form a wet sand consistency. If the mixture is too dry, add the water.

4. Roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized spheres. Coat the 3D circles in more powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.