French Onion Cheese Ball

Everyone loves a cheese ball, especially when it's a French Onion Cheese Ball with Emmi Le Gruyère cheese, wine-glazed caramelized onions and rolled in crispy fried onions.
Yield
Makes 1 cheese ball
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time

Ingredients

  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (5-6 ounces) Emmi Le Gruyère cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1/8 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup store bought crispy fried onions
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed

Method

  1. Heat olive oil and butter in heavy bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, mixing frequently, about 10 minutes. Mix in nutmeg, salt and bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If onions start to brown or stick to the bottom of the pan, add a little water or reduce the heat slightly. When onions are completely softened and a caramel brown color, add the wine, mixing with a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook 5 minutes, until there is no excess moisture from the wine. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Remove and discard bay leaf.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, shredded Gruyère, sour cream, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well incorporated. Fold in the caramelized onion mixture.
  3. Turn mixture out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use plastic wrap to shape mixture into a ball. Wrap well and refrigerate at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, roll cheese ball in fried onion pieces and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Serve with crackers.