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Turn delicious fresh mozzarella cheese balls into adorable, er I mean creepy, skulls to add some Halloween magic to any dish or party! These Mozzarella Cheese Skulls are super easy to make, require only one ingredient, and can be made in seconds in the microwave, or minutes in the oven.
These skulls can add a festive flare to cheese plates, charcuterie boards, pasta dishes, appetizers, skewers, oh the list goes on and on! Kiddos of all ages will love these. Even the office potluck will swoon over these! You could make a spooky scene with some Meringue Ghosts too.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
What kind of cheese?
The fresh mozzarella balls you’ll want for these are called “Ciligiene”. Often they’re sold in plastic containers in liquid. Many grocery stores carry them in the deli section.
Ciliegine balls are larger than pearls and smaller than Bocconcini.
Belgioioso also sells Ciliegine balls as snacking cheese, with three balls to an individually wrapped package for lunches.
What if I can’t find ciligiene?
If you can’t find Ciligiene, you can use pearls – just add two or three depending on the size of the mold. The cheese balls will melt together as they’re heated and cooked. Or, cut down a Bocconcini to fit the mold.
How to make
First, you’re going to want to get the skull molds. These skull molds are the ones I bought, and they worked perfectly. These molds can be used to make ice cubes, but for the cheese skulls, you only need the face part of the mold. One set of molds will make 8 skulls, so if you’re going to make a lot of skulls, you may want to consider purchasing a second mold set.
Prep the mold by lightly spraying it with non-stick cooking spray or oil.
Place one mozzarella ball into each skull mold cavity. I found that the snackers had a natural flat side already, so use the shape of the cheese ball to your advantage here.
Skulls can be made in the oven or microwave
To bake in the oven
Place the molds on a baking tray for stability. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the molds in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
To microwave
Make sure the skull molds you have don’t have any metal wires in them.
Place the filled molds on the microwave plate so they’re flat in the microwave, and heat on high for 30 seconds. Microwave times may vary, but the cheese should be soft. If it isn’t pop it back in for another 10-30 seconds.
Press on the cheese
Fold a paper towel or a cloth napkin and press down on each ball of mozzarella firmly. You’re pressing the cheese into the mold as well as removing excess liquid from the cheese.
Place the molds in the fridge for 10 minutes. The cheese will cool and set in the skull shapes.
Once cooled, release the skulls from the mold by gently pressing on the outside of each face.
You can also brush each skull with a little paprika or chili powder to accentuate the features.
Tips
You want to make sure the mold is filled with cheese. You can even add two small pieces of cheese (like two pearls in a larger mold).
If there’s excess cheese, you can cut that off with a small sharp knife after they cool. Don’t worry if two pieces melt together, again those can be trimmed after they cool.
If there’s excess cheese are ears or a small area that sticks out, try to push the warm melted cheese into the small space when you are pressing on it with the paper towels.
Besides removing excess water, pressing on it with the paper towels helps to get the pattern pushed into the cheese.
How to store
These skulls store really well, so they can be made in advance.
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Pop them in the freezer for longer storage. Once frozen you can keep them in a ziptop plastic bag. Defrost them in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to use them.
Serving suggestions
What can I do with these skulls? Use them anywhere you want some Halloween festivity.
- Top an appetizer with spooky goodness. Here, I’ve made Black Olive Tapenade and spread it on petit toasts and topped them with skulls
- Top a pasta salad with skulls for the office potluck party for a haunting good time
- Make a spooky Caprese salad with these. Or add them to a Corn salad
- Add a spooky twist to a classic appetizer with skulls some shrimp and skewers
- Make Halloween night more fun for the kids by adding these to a snack grazing plate like a cheese plate or charcuterie board
- Float them on a bowl of vegetable soup or chili
- Serve them with some Tarantula Cookies for a fun Halloween party!
Year round fun
football
This recipe can be used for any shape mold and any season or holiday event! I played around with football molds, and they are so cute! These could also be rugby.
Easter
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Recipe
Mozzarella Cheese Skulls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces small fresh mozzarella balls Ciligiene, pearl, or cherry sized
Instructions
Oven directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and spray silicone mold with cooking spray. Set the silicon molds onto a rimmed baking sheet for stability.
- Add a ball of mozzarella to each skull mold cavity.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes to soften the cheese.
Microwave directions
- Spray silicone mold with cooking spray. Add a ball of mozzarella to each skull mold cavity.
- Place filled molds in the microwave, flat on the microwave plate, and heat on high for about 30 seconds. Cheese should be soft and pliable. If not, microwave an additional 10-30 seconds until soft. Remember, microwave ovens vary.
once heated, continue making the skulls
- Remove from oven, and carefully (remember it’s hot) use a paper towel or napkin to press the softened cheese into the molds and absorb the excess liquid.
- Place the molds in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
- Remove cheese skulls from mold, and repeat the process with to make as many skulls as you like.
- You can also brush each skull with a little paprika or chili powder to accentuate the features.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
These are so easy to make – microwave or oven – and so cute! The cheese tastes great of course! But these are just so much fun!
Laura
I must say…..try the Aldi Garlic or Cajun cheese curds instead. They are so full of flavor. More greasy but paper towels do the trick. Thank you for teaching me this wonderfully easy hostess trick!