The cheese ball is a classic appetizer that is perfect for any holiday and every gathering. Make the best one ever with this delicious bacon ranch cheese ball recipe! It’s a tasty flavor combo that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
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About this Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball recipe
Looking for the perfect party appetizer? Then you’ve definitely come to the right place! This incredible bacon ranch cheese ball is a crowd-pleasing recipe that comes together in no time at all.
Made with delicious salty bacon pieces, a Mexican cheese blend, and ranch dressing mix, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheeseball with a more tasty flavor. There’s a reason that there is never ANY left after I serve it at a party — it’s devoured so fast, I usually take the first serving to ensure I get some!
I make a cheese ball pretty much every year, for almost every holiday. It’s essentially tradition to have it on the appetizer table at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it’d even be a fabulous Super Bowl appetizer and is great for New Year’s Eve too!
Serve it up with some fluffy homemade breadsticks or crunchy pita chips. Veggies like celery and carrots will work too! Whichever way you choose to serve it, this bacon ranch cheese ball will be a tasty addition to you appetizer spread.
More cheesy recipes: Marinated Cheese • Queso Fundido • Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
Why you’ll love this recipe
What’s not to love about a creamy ball of cheese that’s loaded with bacon? This recipe is seriously to-die-for:
- This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe. Save on prep time for parties and make this a day ahead of time and just chill it in the fridge until needed!
- Cheese balls are actually super easy to make. It ends up looking like a nice and fancy appetizer when in reality, it’s so quick to throw together.
- Make a bacon ranch cheese ball for any gathering. It’s always a crowd favorite and serves plenty of people.
Tools and equipment
To make this easy recipe, you only need some basic kitchen tools. Make sure you have measuring cups and spoons on hand, as well as a mixing bowl and silicone spatula. You’ll need a skillet to cook the bacon, or a baking sheet if your prefer to cook bacon in the oven.
Make sure you have a clean flat surface and plastic wrap so that you can form the ingredients into a ball shape and place in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, you’ll also need a plate to add the topping onto the set cheese ball!
Ingredients
These simple ingredients combine to make the most amazing cheese ball ever. Here’s a list of everything you need to make it:
Cheese Ball Ingredients
- cooked bacon
- cream cheese, softened
- sour cream
- shredded Mexican cheese blend
- ranch dressing mix
- green onion
- garlic powder
- black pepper
Topping
- cooked bacon
- green onion
Variations and substitutions
You can use bacon bits if you prefer, but the flavor and texture will be much better with freshly cooked bacon. If you’re in a time crunch, feel free to use bacon bits!
Feel free to change up the cheese used. Sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar, Colby jack and Monterey jack will all work wonderfully!
Homemade ranch seasoning works great in this recipe. But you can also use the store-bought packets.
I like to coat the outside in bacon and green onions, but you could use something else! Nuts like chopped walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds. Chives are flavorful option for a topping too.
Instructions
Cook 8 pieces of bacon in a skillet until crispy on both sides. Then place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Once cooled, crumble or cut into small pieces. Divide in half and set to the side.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, ranch seasoning mix, half of the crumbled bacon, half of the green onions, the garlic powder and black pepper. Use a silicone spatula to mix until thoroughly combined.
Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on a clean countertop and then spoon the cheese ball mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap it up in the plastic wrap to form a round ball. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Before serving, place the remaining bacon and diced green onion on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in the bacon onion mixture to coat the outside. Serve with crackers or bread.
Tips and tricks
With these few simple tips, you bacon ranch cheese ball will turn out extra yummy:
- For the best flavor and texture, use full fat cream cheese and sour cream. Trust me, don’t cut corners here! You can swap out those calories somewhere else.
- Make sure the bacon is fully cooled before mixing it in with the other ingredients. I also recommend ensuring that most of the grease has been patted off as well.
- You can shape this cheese ball into different fun shapes for holidays! Make a football for game-day or maybe a tree shape for Christmas.
Food and drink pairings
Serve this cheese ball with classics like crackers, pita chips, and pretzels. But it’s also super tasty on crostini, or served with tortilla chips. Serve it alongside some of your favorite party foods, like air fryer chicken wings and baked jalapeño poppers.
A cheese ball goes great with boozy party favorites too. A Corona sunrise and beerita would be super tasty. You could always make pitcher of classic margaritas too.
FAQ
Any cracker that is buttery and flakey tends to taste the best! But you can use a more crunchy cracker if you prefer something super sturdy. I don’t recommend using any crackers that are really crumbly.
You must let it chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. If it is still not firm enough then let it chill for a few hours longer! This is essential to firming up the cream cheese in the cheese ball.
More Appetizer Recipes
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Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
ingredients
Cheese ball
- 6 pieces cooked bacon cut into small pieces
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 8 ounces Mexican cheese blend shredded
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing mix or a 1-ounce envelop
- ¼ cup green onion thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- 2 pieces cooked bacon cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup cup green onion
instructions
- First, cook 8 pieces of bacon in a skillet until crispy on both sides. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Once cooled, crumble or cut into small pieces. Divide in half and sa
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, ranch dressing mix, half the bacon, half of the green onions, garlic powder and black pepper. Use a spatula to combine thoroughly.
- Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Spoon the mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap it up in plastic wrap to form a round ball. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Before serving, place the remaining bacon and green onion on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in the bacon onion mixture to coat the outside. Serve with crackers or bread.
notes
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