Fried Cheese Balls

Fried cheese balls are a delicious, indulgent treat made with egg white and cheese, perfect for an anytime snack.

Table of Contents

Fried Cheese Balls Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Fried Cheese Balls Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
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Fried cheese balls are an addictive, ooey-gooey snack that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re having a party or just looking for something to munch on during the day, these cheesy treats are sure to please.

close up shot of Fried Cheese Balls piled on a plate

Fried Cheese Balls Ingredients

Fried Cheese Balls raw ingredients that are labeled

Fried cheese balls are a savory snack that will tantalize your taste buds. They have a crunchy exterior that gives way to an ooey, gooey cheesy center.

The cheese is melted and flavorful, and the texture is creamy and irresistible. When you sink your teeth into these delicious treats, you’ll get a burst of flavor in every bite.

You’ll need:

2 large egg whites, room temperature
5 ounces of grated medium cheddar cheese (about 1¼ cups)
Vegetable oil for frying

Substitutions And Additions

CHEESE: You can use any combination of hard cheeses. Jack, pepper jack, and gouda cheese would all be great options.

How To Make This Fried Cheese Balls Recipe

These delicious cheese balls are surprisingly easy to make, and you only need two ingredients to make them.

Beat the egg whites and then combine them with the grated cheese and scoop the mixture into balls. Then chill before frying in vegetable oil. That’s all there is to it!

Follow our step-by-step instructions below.

STEP ONE: With a stand or electric mixer, whisk or beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. The egg whites will be white and have a stiff foam.

STEP TWO: Fold the grated cheese into the stiff egg whites until well-mixed.

grated cheese folded into the egg whites in a bowl

STEP THREE: Use a cookie scoop (I used a 1½ tablespoon size) to scoop the “dough” into little mounds and place them on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Refrigerating the mixture before rolling the balls really helps to firm the mixture up. If you have chilled the balls and they are not holding their shape when you roll them, you may need to add more cheese. Even soft cheese balls fry up and taste delicious, but they may deflate after cooking. They are softer and will puff into a beautiful round ball, but they tend to collapse a little more easily after cooking.

cheese dough scooped out with a cookie scooper and placed on a baking sheet

STEP FOUR: While the cheese balls are chilling, heat at least 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven until it reaches 350°F. You will want to maintain the oil temperature between 350 and 375°F throughout cooking. The oil does take some time to heat.

PRO TIP:

Keep the oil temperature as even as possible. Some people use a frying pan and just a couple of inches of oil, but I found it really helpful to have a deeper pot of oil to roll the cheese balls around while cooking. If the oil is too shallow, the cheese may stick to the bottom of the pan.

STEP FIVE: Roll each mound of cheese “dough” gently to form a ball. You are not rolling them into tight balls; we want to maintain the light, airy structure provided by the beaten egg whites.

cheese dough formed into a ball and placed on a baking sheet

STEP SIX: Drop several cheese balls into the hot oil at a time. Don’t drop too many since if they touch each other, they will stick and will become misshapen.

STEP SEVEN: Fry the cheese ball, turning it to help maintain a nice ball shape, and fry evenly on all sides to a golden crisp. Fry for about 1 to 1½ minutes, turning in the oil constantly.

STEP EIGHT: Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried cheese balls from the oil and place them on a few layers of paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

PRO TIP:

If your cheese balls deflate when you take them out of the oil, they may need just a few more seconds of cooking. Look for a nice golden brown color all around.

fried cheese balls being removed form the hot oil with a slotted spoon

STEP NINE: Serve deep-fried cheese balls immediately.

How To Serve

Fried cheese balls are delicious appetizers that can be served with a variety of dishes.

For a light yet comforting pairing, serve fried cheese balls with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.

If you’re looking for something more classic, serve them with a cool ranch dressing or honey mustard dip.

These fried cheese balls also make fun surprises for school lunches and, of course, make the perfect party snack along with our fried pickles.

For more cheesy goodness, check out our bacon-wrapped mozzarella sticks and cheese sticks.

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Storage

Here’s how you can store these scrumptious treats and keep them tasting as cheesy and delicious as when you first made them.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store this cheesy appetizer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Fried cheese balls can be warmed in the microwave or an air fryer. They will still be tasty, but not quite as ooey-gooey as they are straight out of the fryer.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend trying to freeze this deep-fried cheese as it won’t retain its gooey texture once thawed.

These fried cheese balls taste so delicious. The egg white makes them ultra-light and airy, and the cheese is just perfectly light and gooey and has just the right salty cheese flavor, making them great appetizers or snacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of hot oil is best for deep frying?

Fry only with oils that have a high smoking point. The smoking point is the temperature it takes for the oil to start to break down and smoke. Once it smokes, it’s not good for frying. Good oils to use are peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, or vegetable oil. Olive oil, on the other hand, is not a good oil to fry in.

Should I refrigerate any cheese bites?

It is best to store leftovers of these little balls of cheese in the fridge to keep them fresh.

Can I use different kinds of cheese in this great recipe?

Any kind of cheese would be delicious in this fried cheese ball recipe; just pick your favorite.

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Fried Cheese Balls

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Fried cheese balls are a delicious, indulgent treat made with egg white and cheese, perfect for an anytime snack.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings cheese balls

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, room temperature
5 ounces grated medium cheddar cheese, about 1¼ cups
vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

With a stand or electric mixer, whisk or beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. The egg whites will be white and a stiff foam.
Fold the grated cheese into the stiff egg whites until well-mixed.
Use a cookie scoop (I used a 1½ tablespoon size) to scoop the “dough” into little mounds and place them on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the cheese balls are chilling, heat at least 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven until it reaches 350°F. You will want to maintain the oil temperature between 350 and 375°F throughout cooking. The oil does take some time to heat.
Roll each mound of cheese “dough” gently to form a ball. You are not rolling them into tight balls; we want to maintain the light, airy structure provided by the beaten egg whites.
Drop several cheese balls into the hot oil at a time. Don’t drop too many; if they touch each other, they will stick and will become misshapen.
Fry the cheese ball, turning it to help maintain a nice ball shape and to fry evenly on all sides to a golden crisp. Fry for about 1 to 1½ minutes, turning in the oil constantly.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried cheese balls from the oil and place them on a few layers of paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Keep the oil temperature as even as possible. Some people use a frying pan and just a couple of inches of oil, but I found it really helpful to have a deeper pot of oil so that I could roll the cheese balls around while they were cooking. If the oil is too shallow, the cheese may stick to the bottom of the pan.
These taste so delicious. The egg white makes them ultra-light and airy, and the cheese is just perfectly light and gooey.
You can use any combination of hard cheeses. Jack, pepper jack, and gouda would all be great.
Refrigerating the mixture before rolling the balls really helps to firm the mixture up. If you have chilled the balls and they are not holding their shape when you roll them, you may need to add more cheese. Even soft cheese balls fry up and taste delicious, but they may deflate after cooking. They are softer and will puff into a beautiful round ball, but they tend to collapse a little more easily after cooking.
If your cheese balls deflate when you take them out of the oil, they may need just a few more seconds of cooking. Look for a nice golden color all around.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Fried Cheese Balls

Fried Cheese Balls Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

How To Make This Fried Cheese Balls Recipe

How To Serve

Air Fryer Pizza Rolls

Crockpot Chex Mix

Storage

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes You’ll Love