A cheese ring is a make-ahead Southern appetizer: sharp cheddar, pecans and a little heat are mixed with mayonnaise, shaped into a ring, and filled with strawberry preserves. Spread on a cracker, you get creamy, sharp, salty, sweet and a bit spicy in one bite. It is a good way to use a jar of homemade strawberry preserves.
Where the recipe comes from
The cheese ring is widely linked to Rosalynn Carter, and food blogs often describe it as a vintage Plains, Georgia recipe. Other bloggers trace a similar strawberry cheese ring to the Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook by Paula Deen. Because versions have been shared and adapted for decades, exact origins are hard to pin down. If you are searching for “Jimmy Carter’s cheese ring”, you will most likely find the same Carter-family recipe described under Rosalynn Carter’s name.
Ingredients
The recipes in circulation are similar. This one follows the common structure, scaled for a party platter:
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (about 4 cups)
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened (used in the Lady & Sons style; some versions leave it out)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 small onion, finely grated or chopped
- 1 cup chopped pecans (walnuts also work), lightly toasted if you like
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- About 1 cup strawberry preserves
- Crackers, for serving
Adjust the mayonnaise if the mixture seems too dry or too loose; you want it firm enough to hold a shape.
How to make it
- Grate the cheese by hand from a block. Freshly grated cheese blends better and tastes better than pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-caking starch.
- If using a juicy onion, grate it and pat it dry in a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
- Combine the cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, garlic salt, cayenne and most of the pecans in a bowl or food processor. Mix until just combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours so the mixture firms up.
- Turn it onto a platter and mold it into a ring about an inch or two thick, leaving a well in the center. Wax paper or plastic wrap on your hands keeps the mixture from sticking.
- Press remaining chopped pecans over the outside if you like.
- Spoon the strawberry preserves into the center just before serving, and serve with crackers.
Taking the ring out of the refrigerator a short time before serving makes it easier to spread, as one popular version suggests, but see the safe-handling notes below.
What cheese goes with strawberry preserves?
Sharp cheddar is the classic. Other cheeses that contrast well with sweet preserves include:
- Cream cheese or goat cheese (mild and tangy)
- Brie or camembert
- Aged gouda or manchego
- Sharp white cheddar
Salty, sharp or creamy cheeses all balance the sweetness. Preserves with whole fruit pieces give the best texture. If your preserves are very chunky, stir them briefly to loosen them before spooning them in.
Tips for a good cheese ring
- Use a good sharp cheddar. Mild cheese gets lost behind the preserves.
- Do not skip the chilling time. A warm, soft mixture will not hold a ring.
- Toast the pecans for a deeper flavor.
- Add the preserves at the last minute. If they sit too long, they can soak into the cheese and make it look messy.
- Taste a little of the cheese mixture before shaping. Cayenne and garlic salt vary by brand.
Serving ideas
Serve with plain buttery crackers, pretzels, celery sticks or sliced apples. You can also set the mixture out as a log or ball with preserves on the side, as some cooks do. Other jams work well too: fig, pepper jelly (such as jalapeno fig jelly) or raspberry. A pepper jelly or even a savory beer jelly lets you move the appetizer in a more savory direction.
Make ahead and storage
The cheese mixture can be prepared a day or so ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Because it contains mayonnaise and dairy, keep it cold. Food safety guidance generally says perishable foods should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and for about 1 hour if the room is hot (above 90 F). For a party, put out a smaller portion and replace it with a fresh chilled one rather than leaving the whole ring out. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and, if in doubt, throw them out.
If you plan to freeze it, mayonnaise-based mixtures often separate when thawed, so it is not recommended to freeze this appetizer.
Variations
- Replace cayenne with a pinch of smoked paprika or chili flakes
- Add crumbled bacon (cook it fully and cool it first)
- Use green onions rather than yellow onion
- Fill with fig jam, apricot preserves or pineapple preserves
- Shape as a ball or log for a different look
FAQ
What are the ingredients in Rosalynn Carter’s cheese ring? Versions vary, but they typically include sharp cheddar, mayonnaise, onion, cayenne and pecans, with strawberry preserves in the center.
Can I use strawberry preserves for cheesecake? Yes. Strawberry preserves are commonly warmed slightly and spooned over a baked cheesecake, or swirled into the batter. For a swirl, use thicker preserves so they do not bleed into the filling.
Can I use homemade preserves? Yes (our beginner’s guide to making jam explains how to make and can them safely). If you made them yourself and canned them properly, they are fine to use, but refrigerate any opened jar. See our blackberry jelly guide for the basic jar-filling routine used with jelly and preserves.