Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball with Horseradish, Ranch, or Chipotle
This versatile bacon cheddar cheese ball recipe is nutty, creamy & incredibly easy to make. From the base recipe, you can make three different cheese balls. Pick your favorite flavor, or make a big batch and try them all! Perfect fall & winter party snack or appetizer!
Equipment
- food processor (optional but helpful)
Ingredients
Bacon Cheddar Walnut Cheese Ball (base recipe)
- 8 oz cream cheese, slightly softened
- 2 oz sharp or extra sharp cheddar, grated
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup cooked bacon (pieces or rough chopped) (2-4 slices of thick or thin sliced bacon)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper (preferably freshly ground)
Bacon Cheddar Horseradish Cheese Ball
- 2-3 tbsp grated fresh or processed horseradish
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball
- 2 tbsp ranch dressing mix
- 1 tsp dried dill leaf substitute 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Bacon Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Ball
- 2-3 tbsp finely minced or pureed chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tbsp cilantro (optional)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Garnish
- ⅓ cup minced or crushed walnuts
- 2 tbsp crumbled crispy bacon or bacon bits finely chopped
Instructions
prep ingredients:
- 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.
- Dice and saute the bacon until crispy, and drain. Save bacon fat for other recipes.
- Crush or finely chop the portions of the nuts and bacon 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 (and cilantro for the chipotle cheese ball if you are using it, or fresh dill for the ranch one).
- Measure out the other seasoning ingredients, and juice the lemon if you are using fresh lemon juice.
blend the cheese ball:
- Add the all ingredients to the food processor or mixing bowl (except for the finely minced nuts and bacon for the garnish).
- If you'd like the cheese ball to have larger pieces of nuts and bacon, pulse the cheeses and seasonings a bit first before adding the bacon bits 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.
shape and garnish:
- 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 bacon 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.
chill before serving:
- While you can serve your bacon cheddar walnut cheese balls immediately, the flavor and texture are better if you let them 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! You can also wrap these well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then foil or a plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to a month. The defrosted cheese balls may be a bit crumbly compared to freshly made, but still quite delicious!
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate, and calculated for the ranch flavored variation.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 524mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 249IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1mg
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