Toast the walnuts in a pan on low heat or a tray in a medium-hot oven, shaking or stirring the pan frequently and removing the pan from the heat when the walnuts have an oily sheen and are fragrant. If you leave the nuts in the pan, they're likely to burn, since the pan is still hot.

Crush or finely chop the portions of the nuts and cranberries to be used for the outer garnish and set aside (you can pulse them in the food processor or use a knife and cutting board).

Wash, pat dry, and mince the fresh parsley.

Rinse an orange, grate the zest, and measure out 1/2 tsp.

Add the all ingredients to the food processor or mixing bowl (except for the finely nuts and cranberries for the garnish).

If you'd like the cheese ball to have larger pieces of nuts and cranberries, pulse the cheeses and seasonings a bit first before adding the dried cranberries and walnut pieces. For a finer texture, add all ingredients together at the beginning.

Pulse the food processor until all ingredients are well combined. Stop and scrape down the bowl with a flexible spatula to help mix everything without turning the mixture into a smooth puree.

Lay a rectangle of plastic wrap or parchment/waxed paper out on a clean, flat work surface.

Sprinkle just over half of the reserved finely chopped nuts and cranberries in an even layer near the center.

Using a flexible spatula, scoop the cheese ball mixture out of the mixing or food processor bowl and onto the chopped nuts.

To form a ball, make a single mound in the center of the plastic wrap.

To shape a log, scoop the mixture out in a line that you can round off to a cylinder.

Sprinkle most of the remaining nut mixture on top, reserving a few to fill in any bare patches.

Using the plastic wrap or paper, bring the cheese together into a smooth ball or roll into a log, gently pulling it tight and smoothing out any lumps or bumps.

While you can serve your cranberry orange walnut cheese ball immediately, the flavor and texture are better if you let it chill first.

Chilling the cheese ball will let it firm up and give the flavors time to combine and meld.

It's best to chill it for at least an hour or two, though you can make it well ahead of time if you prefer!