Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball: Must-Try Holiday Party Appetizer!
Level up your ordinary cheeseball and make this bacon jalapeno cheese ball recipe bursting with Southwestern flavor!
What could be better than bacon, jalapeño, and cheese? 🤤
How about a homemade cheese ball recipe with all of the above?! This is my personal favorite appetizer to whip up that doesn’t take a ton of effort and is so tasty which makes it great for gatherings!
I love traditional cheese ball recipes with nuts and cheese, but this one is so unique and elevated in my opinion. There is a ton of flavor going on and will disappear in a flash so you may want to make a couple. 😋
Watch me make this easy cheese ball on Instagram!
Serve this easy cheese ball with a hearty cracker such as a water cracker, and serve it on a tray or plate with a cheese spreader.
Eating keto? This could also be a delicious low-carb or keto appetizer if you provide other dippers such as celery or pork rinds as a couple of ideas!
Helpful tips on making this bacon jalapeño cheese ball recipe:
- The beauty of cheese ball appetizers is that they are so easy to adapt to taste. If sharp cheese doesn’t sound good to you, choose another favorite shredded cheese.
- Jalapeños without the seeds are far less spicy and taste great in this onlinebo. However, if you want to nix the spice altogether, substitute with chopped bell peppers instead. I enjoy using my push-down hand chopper to chop jalapeños easily.
- A microwave bacon cooker makes it super easy to make your bacon and is very useful for a recipe like this!
- This cheese ball will need some time to set up in the fridge and let the flavors meld. You can even make it the day before. Then just set it out on the counter for a bit to soften before serving.
- If you happen to have leftovers, you can scoop them into a covered container and they will last for a couple of days.
Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball
yield: 8 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 5 MINUTES
total time: 20 MINUTES
Creamy cheeseball featuring the perfect onlinebo of flavors with bacon, chopped jalapeno, sharp cheddar, and onion.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large jalapenos, stems and seeds removed, diced, divided
- 6 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled, divided
- crackers, for serving
Directions
1
Mix together the cream cheese, green onion, cheddar cheese, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, half of the diced jalapenos, and half of the crumbled cooked bacon. Place the remaining diced jalapenos and bacon to the side on a plate or cutting board.
2
Stir together so that it's well mixed.
3
With your hands, roll the cheese mixture into a ball. It helps to get your hands a little wet to avoid sticking.
4
Now roll the cheese ball in the leftover jalapeños and bacon until the outside is covered.
5
Chill covered for at least one hour before serving. Serve with crackers or desired dipper and enjoy!
This cheese ball recipe is such a keeper and something I’ve been making for years. The creaminess of the cream cheese is a great base for smokey bacon and chives!
Here’s what my teammate Chelsey thought of this bacon jalapeno cheese ball recipe:
“This recipe was SO easy to make! I’ve never made a cheese ball before but I’ll definitely be making them from now on. It doesn’t take very long to make. I love that you can toss it in the fridge until it’s ready to be eaten, perfect for family gatherings or football games. My husband’s three favorite foods are jalapenos, bacon, and cheese, so this was a huge hit at our house!
Plus, I recently grabbed this Nordic Ware Microwave Bacon Cooker, and it makes it super easy to make bacon. Just pop your bacon in the microwave and it’s ready to go, no need to watch it or keep track of it while you’re prepping your other ingredients.”
Create an entire snack board around your cheese ball!
For a recent dinner party appetizer, I created a fun charcuterie board and included my bacon jalapeño cheese ball on it along with nuts, crackers, and a selection of other delicious meats and cheeses. This recipe was so easy to make and was well received.
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