Halloween Mini Bat Taco Cheeseballs

Bat wings and olive eyes turn these taco cheeseballs into a ghoulishly fun Halloween appetizer.

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Our own summary of the original by Amy (Savory Moments) — the full post and photos live at savorymomentsblog.com.

These mini bat-shaped cheeseballs combine cream cheese, taco cheese, and seasoning, then are coated in crushed blue corn chips. Tortilla chips become wings and olive slices become eyes, making a playful and tasty Halloween snack. Refrigerate them for at least two hours to firm up before decorating and serving.

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded taco cheese blend

3 teaspoons taco seasoning

pinch of salt

blue corn tortilla chips

black olives, sliced

Directions

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whip the softened cream cheese until it's light and airy. Then stir in the taco cheese blend, taco seasoning, and a tiny pinch of salt.

Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop or a regular spoon, portion out the mixture. Roll each portion with your hands into balls roughly the size of ping pong balls until all the mixture is used.

Arrange the cheeseballs on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours. They can be left overnight for a more intense flavor.

Just before serving, get the decorations ready. Place a couple of handfuls of blue corn tortilla chips in a sturdy plastic freezer bag (one that won't tear easily).

Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and use a rolling pin to crush the chips until they become a fine powder. Pour the crushed chips into a small bowl (you'll need about 1 cup).

Roll each chilled cheeseball in the crushed chips, gently pressing so they're well coated. Set them on a serving platter, then insert a whole tortilla chip into each side (with the long side first) to resemble bat wings.

Press two black olive slices onto each cheeseball to create the bat's eyes. Do this gently but firmly so they stay in place.

Serve the mini bat taco cheeseballs right away, accompanied by extra chips and small spreading knives.