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 Ball Bites on White Plate with Red Napkin
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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!

Raw Cheese Balls on Sheet Pan

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!

Cheese Ball Bites on Plate Served with Pretzel Crackers

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.

Easy Cheese Ball Recipe Shot from Overhead on a Red Napkin

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.

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bit Into Showing the Inside

More Appetizers

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4.67 from 21 votes

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites

Prep Time 15 minutes
chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Seriously flavorful bite-sized cheese balls make the best appetizer!

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
  • โ…“ cup (16 g) fresh chives, finely chopped
  • โ…“ 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.

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion โ€“ With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. 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?

    1. 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!

  2. 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!!!

  3. 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!

  4. 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.

  5. These were sooooooooooio salty, we wanted to keep trying to eat them but we couldnโ€™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.

  6. 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!

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