Quite possibly one of the most fun appetizers to serve! Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites are finger-lickin good! We often make a bunch of appetizers to serve for a meal and this one always makes the cut. This one, Bacon Jalapeno Poppers, Sausage Jalapeno Poppers, and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms are the most requested!
Cheese Balls
Who doesn’t love a cheese ball stuffed with every amazing flavor known to man? Not only do these happen to be a perfect size, but they have the most amazing flavor. Bacon, ranch seasoning, and of course cheese!
These cheese balls are more of a “cheese ball bite”, meaning that they are much smaller than the average cheese ball. You can easily pop one in your mouth or grab your favorite cracker. Try my Classic Cheese Ball, Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball, and Shrimp Cheese Ball for more delicious appetizers!
What to Serve With Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites
There is no wrong here, but my kids loved Ritz crackers best. Something about the salty bacon and cool and creamy cheeses paired with a buttery cracker was so delicious! We also enjoyed pretzel crackers, pretzels, and toasted bread (crostini). You could also make some parmesan crisps and serve the cheese ball bites on top!
Can I Make This into One Cheese Ball?
Yes! Instead of 16 bite-sized portions, just mold the cream cheese mixture into one giant ball. Cover with the bacon coating and chill until ready to serve.
How to Store Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites
Store any leftover cheese balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These will last up to a week. However, the nuts may not be as crunchy the longer they are stored.
More Appetizers
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (113 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon (about half a packet) dry ranch seasoning mix
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ⅓ cup (16 g) fresh chives, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (36 g) pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar, and ranch seasoning.
- Form the cheese mixture into 16 small balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- In a small bowl or on a plate, combine bacon, chives, and pecans.
- Roll the cheese balls in bacon, chive, pecan mixture.
- Serve. If not immediately serving, loosely cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Video
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Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
these sound delicious. always looking for new items to place on protein platter at christmas and special occasions. thank you
p.s….
can you advise me on how to get regular granulated white sugar to stick to the outside of baked sugar cookies?
Hi, Beverley! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Add the sugar right after you remove the cookies from the oven. I hope that helps, and have a great day!
I didn’t have ranch mix and I dont like chives or pecans. So, I sauted one large slice of minced onion until very brown and added minced garlic. I put half of this mixture into the cheese ball with the cheddar. Then I mixed the remaining onion mixture with bacon bits and toasted sesame seeds. Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!!!
Sounds fantastic Kimi!
How long can these keep in the refrigerator? Can they be frozen?
Great recipe, but I second others on the 1 ounce Ranch mix being too overpowering. TOO SALTY! I’d recommend adding little by little and tasting as you go rather than dumping the whole pack. Otherwise, great!
RANCH:
2 tsp Dried parsley
1 tsp Dried dill
1 tsp Dried chives
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Onion powder
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
To make a dip add:
1 Cup mayo
1/2 Cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon juice
**1/4 Cup of full fat milk or buttermilk to turn this into a dressing for salad.
These were sooooooooooio salty, we wanted to keep trying to eat them but we couldn’t. Might have to stuff some chicken with the mixture or something. I think the whole ranch packet was just too much, I doubled checked and my packet was the 1oz packet.
I will make one day
Love.
Our recipes
Can you make ahead and freeze these. Sound delish
Neva, the recipe calls for just 1/2 of the ranch packet, not a full packet. You can also use lower sodium bacon. I found them to be delicious!