Laurel’s Cheesecake Ball

I don't know who Laurel is. My cousin sent this around to the fam. Thought all you cheesecake lovers might enjoy it.

Recipe makes two Cheesecake Balls!

1-8 oz brick cream cheese
1 cube butter (not margarine)
4-4 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp Mexican vanilla OR 1 tsp regular vanilla
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
¾ cup Heath toffee bits (in a bag on the baking aisle)
¾ cup MINI semi sweet chocolate chips
1 pre-made Oreo pie crust-(store bought)
Honey Maid graham cracker Sticks (honey and/or chocolate flavor for dipping)

Let cream cheese and butter sit out at room temperature about one hour to soften. (Don’t soften in microwave as it makes the mixing consistency too soft). Unwrap Oreo pie crust and crush well with a fork down to fine crumbs, leave inside pie tin and set aside. Cream butter and cream cheese together with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until well mixed and fluffy. Add nuts, toffee and chocolate chips and mix well. Put cheesecake mixture into freezer for 30 minutes to harden. Take out of freezer and split in half. With spoon, shape one half into a ball shape and drop into center of Oreo crumbs. Use spoon to further shape and then cover cheesecake mixture well with crumbs. Wrap in Saran Wrap and finish shape into perfect ball and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Repeat with second half of cheesecake mixture. Serve with chocolate and/or regular graham cracker sticks.

Variations:

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Ball -

Instead of chocolate chips and toffee, substitute broken up, frozen raspberry pieces and shaved white chocolate and nuts of your choice. Use a regular graham cracker pie crust (crushed) for the coating.

Rocky Road Cheesecake Ball -

Instead of chocolate chips and toffee, mix in 1 T. of cocoa, chopped almonds, toasted coconut and mini marshmallows (quartered with scissors). Omit cinnamon and half the vanilla. Use Oreo crumbs as coating.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Ball -

Omit toffee, cinnamon and half the vanilla. Add 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter to cheesecake mixture, ½ cup finely chopped peanuts and ¾ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips. Use Oreo Crumbs as coating.