Ready to take a dip into Easter? Today, we’re talking about this delicious cream cheese carrot cake cheese ball for Easter, and it’s just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. This sweet dip has all the deliciousness of a carrot cake but in party food style!
I love serving this Easter dish for church potlucks, family parties, and spring work potlucks!
Ingredients for Our Carrot Cake Cheese Ball for Easter
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Carrot Cake Mix (from a box)
- Pecan Pieces
- Reese’s Pieces (orange only | I bought 4 of the carrots for Easter at Walmart)
- Edible Grass (at Walmart)
- Graham Crackers (for dipping)
Supplies
- Serving Tray
- Microwaveable Mixing Bowl
- Mixer with Mixer Bowl
- Gloves
Finding Solid Orange Reese’s Pieces and Edible Grass
Easter is the perfect time to find bags of orange Reese’s Pieces! Most stores will carry small carrot-shaped bags of solid orange Reese’s Pieces in the Easter sections this time of year. We find ours at Walmart every year! I have also seen Dollar General with these in the candy aisle this time of year. If you can’t find the name brand Reese’s Pieces, you can opt for the off brand “carrot” bags you might see in the Easter sections.
Likewise, we usually find the green edible grass in the Easter section at Walmart this time of year. It is often sold in a bundle. And then you cut the lengths you need.
How To Heat Treat the Cake Mix
Before serving any dessert with raw flour or raw cake mix, you will want to heat treat the flour first.
In a microwave-safe bowl, place your two cups of cake mix in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, for 2-3 minutes (4-6 intervals) or until internal temperature is 160 degrees, prior to using. This makes it safe to consume the cake mix by heat treatment.
Making a Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Cheese Ball
The only thing standing between you and this sweet carrot cake cheese ball is a mixing bowl!
To begin, add the two bricks of cream cheese and softened (not melted) butter to a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth. Once smooth, add the 2 cups of heat-treated cake mix, the powdered sugar, and pecans.
I suggest gloves for this next part. At the very least, you can coat your hands in some of the extra cake mix. But on a clean counter or tray, start kneading and folding the mixture until all ingredients seem evenly combined from the outside. Keep going until you have it shaped into a perfect ball. Place the ball on a pretty serving dish at this time.
At this point, take the candies and start placing them neatly all over the ball until it is completely covered in orange – like a carrot! You will want to leave a spare area on the very top – about one inch in diameter.
Finally, trim down the edible grasses to a length that is within balance of stems for a carrot. I cut mine about 6-8 inches long. Press the bunch down into the spare area at the top of the carrot ball – mirroring a green carrot stem.
Wah-lah! What a delicious beauty this Easter carrot cake cheese ball is! I find it’s hard to make the first cut into this beautiful Easter cheese ball!
Tips for Our Carrot Cake Cheese Ball for Easter
- You can make this Easter cheese ball ahead of time. It is good for 1-2 days in the fridge.
- Add vanilla wafers or ginger snaps as an extra type of dipper, if desired.
- Leftovers need to be refrigerated.
- Orange M&Ms may work instead of Reese’s Pieces.
Easy Carrot Cake Cheese Ball for Easter
Ingredients
- 16 oz Cream cheese softened
- 4 oz Butter softened; salted or unsalted
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- 2 cups Carrot cake mix from a box mix
- ½ cup Pecans chopped
- Reese's Pieces solid orange; 4-5 "carrot" tubes found in the Easter candy aisles in stores at Easter time
- Edible grass green; found in the Easter candy aisles in stores at Easter time
Instructions
Heat Treat the Cake Mix
- Place your cake mix in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, for 2-3 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees, prior to using. (This makes it safe to consume by heat treatment.)
Make the Dessert Cheese Ball
- Start by adding your cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl. Mix on high until well combined.
- Add to the bowl the heat-treated cake mix, pecans and powdered sugar.
- Begin kneading and folding until every ingredient is well combined, and shape into a ball. Place the ball on a serving dish. (Using gloves is recommended as this step gets messy.)
- Begin covering the entire ball with orange Reese’s Pieces, until it is completely covered. Press them firmly.
- Take several pieces of edible grass, trim down to the length to 6-8 inches long. Press the bunch down into the top of the cheeseball, to create a carrot stem.
- Serve with graham crackers and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate if making in advance.
- Refrigerate leftovers.