Halloween Mini Bat Taco Cheeseballs

Directions

1. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or a large bowl with a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until it becomes light and airy. Stir in the shredded taco cheese, taco seasoning, and a tiny pinch of salt.
2. Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop or a regular spoon, portion out the cheese mixture. With your hands, shape each portion into a ball approximately the size of a ping pong ball, repeating until all the mixture is used.
3. Arrange the balls on a plate, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours, or leave them overnight for enhanced flavor.
4. Only before serving, prepare the decorations with corn chips and olives. Put a couple of handfuls of blue corn tortilla chips into a sturdy freezer-safe plastic bag that resists tearing.
5. Close the bag, squeezing out excess air, then use a rolling pin to crush the chips into a fine powder. Transfer the crushed chips to a small bowl; you should have roughly 1 cup.
6. Roll each cheeseball in the crushed chips, gently pressing so they adhere. Set them on a serving platter, then insert a whole tortilla chip into each side of the ball, starting with the long end, to create wing-like shapes.
7. For the eyes, gently press two slices of black olive onto each bat.
8. Serve right away, accompanied by additional corn chips and small spreading knives.