Okay, I’ll admit something. A cheese ball made from actual cookie dough sounded a little odd to me at first. I mean, we’re talking about a ball of cream cheese and butter, right? Then I made it for a potluck a few years back, and I’ve never seen a dessert disappear so fast. People kept asking, “Wait, this isn’t baked? It’s just… dough?” And then they’d take another giant scoop with a graham cracker. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for when you want the joy of eating cookie dough without any of the fuss. This isn’t just any dessert cheese ball. Think of it as the love child of your favorite **Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies** and that cream cheese frosting you can’t stop sampling. It has that familiar, nostalgic flavor but in a fun, shareable form. It’s perfect for parties, movie nights, or those moments when you just need a sweet, no-bake treat. While we’re on the topic of irresistible treats, if you’re looking to mix things up, I’ve got a whole collection of favorites. For something a bit heartier, I have a recipe for **High Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies** that satisfies that craving. Or, for the peanut butter lovers, my **Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip** bars are legendary. Don’t even get me started on the surprisingly delicious **chocolate chip zucchini muffins**—they’re a sneaky way to get in a veggie! And if mint is your thing, explore my other **Mint chocolate recipes** and **Mint Chocolate Desserts**; they’re all fantastic. Honestly, any **recipe chocolate** fans will find something to love over at Eleanor Cooks.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball Recipe
3) Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
4) How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
5) Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
6) Making Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
8) Try these Desserts next!
9) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

It’s an edible, no-bake treat that tastes exactly like classic cookie dough.
You need to heat-treat the flour to make it safe to eat raw.
Softened, room-temperature ingredients are the secret to a smooth texture.
It’s perfect for parties, movie nights, or a quick sweet craving.

2) Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball Recipe

Okay, let’s talk about something brilliant and maybe a little silly: the cookie dough cheese ball. I know, I know. It sounds like a strange hybrid. Cheese? With cookie dough? But I promise you, it works. It’s not savory; there’s no cheddar in sight. The “cheese” part just refers to its glorious, spreadable, cream-cheese-based form.

This recipe is my go-to for any gathering where I want dessert to be fun and interactive. Picture a beautiful ball, coated in chocolate chips, sitting proudly on a platter surrounded by graham crackers and pretzels. It sparks joy. It also sparks a lot of conversations that usually start with, “Wait, can I just eat this with a spoon?” (The answer is yes. Always yes.)

It’s incredibly easy. No mixer is strictly required if you’re willing to put in some arm work. It requires zero baking, which is a blessing during hot summer months. And the flavor? Pure, unadulterated nostalgia. That buttery, brown-sugary, vanilla-kissed taste of sneaking spoonfuls from the mixing bowl as a kid, but in a totally shareable, adult-approved package. If you love the idea of Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies but want a no-fuss version, this is your spirit dessert.

3) Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

Let’s gather our players. This isn’t a complicated list, but a couple of these ingredients need a tiny bit of special attention.

Cream Cheese: Use the full-fat, brick-style kind. The tubs of spreadable cream cheese have different moisture content and won’t give you the right firmness. Take it out of the fridge at least an hour ahead. Patience here pays off in a lump-free, dreamy texture.

Unsalted Butter: Again, room temperature is key. I like unsalted so I can control the salt level myself. Softened butter blends seamlessly with the cream cheese, creating that rich, spreadable base.

Brown & Granulated Sugar: The dynamic duo. Brown sugar gives that deep, molasses-y warmth and chewy flavor we associate with chocolate chip cookies. White sugar adds sweetness and structure. Pack that brown sugar firmly into your measuring cup.

Vanilla Extract: Use the real stuff if you can. It makes a noticeable difference, adding a floral, aromatic backbone to all that sweetness. This isn’t the place for the imitation kind hiding in the back of your cupboard.

All-Purpose Flour: This is the one ingredient that needs a quick trip to the oven. Raw flour can carry bacteria, so we heat-treat it to make it safe for this no-bake recipe. Don’t skip this! It’s a simple step I’ll walk you through in the tips.

Mini Chocolate Chips: I prefer minis for two reasons. They distribute more evenly throughout the dough, and they’re the perfect size for coating the outside. You’ll use some inside and save a whole bunch for the dramatic, chip-covered exterior.

4) How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

Alright, let’s make some magic. Clear a little counter space and let’s get our hands dirty (figuratively, at least until the rolling part).

step 1. First, tackle that flour. Spread your all-purpose flour in a thin, even layer on a baking sheet. Pop it into a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes. You just want to heat it through to kill any potential bacteria. Let it cool completely on the counter before you use it. This is our one “cooking” step, I promise.

step 2. In a large bowl, combine your beautifully softened cream cheese and butter. Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat them together until they’re completely smooth, pale, and fluffy. No lumps allowed! This could take a couple of minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything gets incorporated.

step 3. Add both sugars, the vanilla extract, and the salt to the creamy mixture. Beat again for another good minute or two. You’ll see it lighten in color and get even fluffier. That’s the sugar doing its delightful work.

step 4. Now, sprinkle all of your cooled, heat-treated flour over the top. Mix on the lowest speed possible, just until the flour disappears. We’re not developing gluten here; we just want it incorporated. Overmixing can make the dough tough.

step 5. Time for the star of the show: chocolate chips! Take your spatula and gently fold in about a cup of the mini chips. The dough will be quite soft at this point—that’s exactly right. It will firm up beautifully in the fridge.

step 6. Scrape this glorious, soft dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to help you form it into a rough ball shape. Don’t worry about perfection. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. This chill time is non-negotiable for a shapeable cheese ball.

step 7. When you’re ready to serve, pour your remaining chocolate chips onto a plate. Unwrap your now-firm dough ball. Roll it briefly between your palms to smooth it into a nice sphere. Then, roll it all over in the plate of chocolate chips, pressing gently so they stick. Place your masterpiece on a serving plate, surround it with dippers, and prepare for applause.

5) Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

A few little nuggets of wisdom from my many (sometimes messy) trials with this recipe. They’ll help you avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into.

That heat-treated flour step is the most important one for safety. If you’re microwave-inclined, you can also do it that way. Put the flour in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring well each time, until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Then let it cool. Easy.

Room temperature ingredients aren’t a suggestion; they’re the law. If your cream cheese and butter are still cold, they will never blend smoothly. You’ll end up with little butter bits throughout your dough. If you forgot to take them out, you can microwave the butter in 5-second bursts (don’t melt it!), and soften the cream cheese by placing the unopened brick in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes.

Don’t rush the chill. I’ve tried to shape it after an hour. It’s a sticky, frustrating mess. Two hours is the bare minimum. Overnight in the fridge gives you the perfect, firm-yet-creamy texture that holds its shape when you roll it in chips. It also makes the flavors meld together perfectly.

6) Making Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball Ahead of Time

This is quite literally the perfect make-ahead dessert. In fact, I almost always make it the day before I need it.

You have two great options. You can make the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic, and stash the unshaped log or ball in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then, the day you’re serving, let it sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften just a touch, then roll it in chocolate chips. This is my preferred method.

Alternatively, you can fully assemble it—shape it, roll it in chips, place it on its serving dish—cover the whole platter tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. If you do this, the chips on the outside might lose a little of their shine from the condensation, but the taste will be spot on. Just give it a quick roll on a fresh plate of chips right before serving to freshen it up.

7) Storing Leftover Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

Leftovers? It happens sometimes, especially if you, ahem, make a double batch like I often do. Storing it is simple.

Place any remaining cheese ball (or scoops of it) in an airtight container. It will keep happily in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. The flavor actually gets better after a day or two as everything continues to meld.

I don’t recommend freezing it. The cream cheese and butter can separate and become grainy when thawed, ruining that perfect, smooth texture we worked so hard for. It’s best enjoyed fresh from the fridge.

8) Try these Desserts next!

9) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

The Cookie Dough Cheese Ball You’ll Want to Eat by the Spoonful

Prep Time20

Cook Time0

Total Time2 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: cheese ball, Cookie Dough, easy dessert, No-Bake Dessert, party food

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Eleanor

Ingredients

For the Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) package full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (trust me, it matters)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (not melted, just soft)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (it makes the sweet pop)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (heat-treated for safety – see notes!)
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus more for rolling)
Extra chocolate chips, mini or regular, for rolling

For Serving

Graham crackers (the classic move)
Vanilla wafers
Pretzel sticks (for that sweet & salty kick)
Apple slices (if you’re feeling virtuous)

Instructions

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer on medium speed until it’s completely smooth and lump-free. This is the foundation, so don’t rush it.
Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat again for another minute or two until everything is fully combined and looks fluffy.
Sprinkle the heat-treated flour over the mixture. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make it gummy.
Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips. The dough will be quite soft—that’s normal!

Chill and Shape

Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to help you form the dough into a rough ball shape. Don’t stress about it being perfect.
Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. This chilling time is non-negotiable; it firms up the butter and cream cheese so you can shape it.

Roll and Serve

When you’re ready to serve, place some extra chocolate chips on a plate or in a shallow bowl.
Unwrap the chilled dough ball. It will be firm but still pliable. Roll it between your palms (you might want to lightly dust them with flour) to form a nice round ball.
Roll the ball in the reserved chocolate chips, pressing gently so they stick all over. You can’t have too many.
Place your glorious chocolate chip-coated cheese ball on a serving plate. Arrange your graham crackers, pretzels, and other dippers around it.
Dive in! Store any leftovers (ha!) tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

HEAT-TREATING FLOUR: This is important since we’re not baking the dough. To make the flour safe to eat, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 5-7 minutes. Let it cool completely before using. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until it reaches 160°F. Let it cool! SOFTENING TIP: For truly room temp ingredients, take your cream cheese and butter out of the fridge at least an hour ahead. If you’re in a pinch, you can microwave the butter in 5-second bursts, and soften the cream cheese in its wrapper in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Don’t melt them! VARIATIONS: Try using mint chocolate chips for a fun twist, or stir in some crushed toffee bits. For rolling, chopped nuts or sprinkles work great too.

10) Nutrition