The ultimate cheese ball recipe made with creamy ranch flavored cream cheese, and plenty of bacon, cheese, and other tasty add-ins. A great crowd-pleaser!
Every party needs a great crowd-pleasing appetizer, and this ultimate cheese ball recipe is definitely that!
So let me ask you, do you love bacon? What about ranch? Cheese? Yes, yes, yes right? Then trust me when I tell you that your next party NEEDS this bacon ranch cheese ball! Everyone will be scrambling for seconds (or thirds), and then begging you for the recipe… making you the rockstar of the party. Score!!
I know, I know, it’s January, and we’re supposed to be all New Years resolution-y and eating healthier and whatnot… and don’t worry, I have several recipes planned for this month that fit that bill, but I feel that every good healthy eating plan needs moderation. So indulging a bit now and then is perfectly fine! Plus, we still have more game days left in this football season, and of course the BIG football game in February. So party on!
HOW DO YOU MAKE AN EASY CHEESE BALL?
Cheese balls are the ultimate easy appetizer for two main reasons.
- They’re natural make-ahead recipes.
- You simply mix, shape, chill, then roll.
Just mix up the cream cheese and other flavor ingredients in a mixing bowl with either a rubber spatula or hand mixer, then plop the mixture down on a sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to help you shape it into a ball shape, then chill until firm. Roll the chilled ball in a mixture of textured ingredients (like bacon, nuts, etc), and keep chilled until ready to serve. Easy peasy!
HOW LONG DO CHEESE BALLS LAST?
The answer gets a little tricky, depending on what you added to your cheese ball. For this recipe, since we’re adding chopped green onions, I would say about 3 days. If your cheeseball doesn’t use fresh herbs, fruits, etc, and is simply cream cheese, cheese and seasonings, then it can last up to 7-10 days.
CAN YOU FREEZE CHEESE BALLS?
Yes! You just need to freeze them before you roll them in the outer coating. After forming the cream cheese mixture into a ball, add it to a freezer resealable bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then roll in outer coating and serve!
CAN YOU USE THIS RECIPE TO MAKE CHEESE BALL BITES?
Aren’t those fun? Yes, you sure can! I haven’t officially measured it, but I think this recipe would yield about 22-24 mini cheese ball bites. Instead of shaping the mixture into a ball, use a small ice cream scoop (I’ll link the one I use below), to form little balls. Wrap those balls in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Roll in outer coating and stick a pretzel stick or two in them to make them a fun, portable, personal party food!
WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH A CHEESE BALL RECIPE?
My personal favorite is buttery crackers, but pretzels, bagel chips, pita chips, or even some toasted baguette slices would be a nice accompaniment. For a healthier alternative, go with carrots or celery sticks.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS CHEESE BALL RECIPE:
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. If it’s chilled, you’ll have a really hard time mixing everything smoothly.
- The sour cream is optional, but I really love how it makes the cheese ball ever so slightly soft, so when you’re scooping some onto a cracker, it isn’t so hard that it snaps the cracker in half.
- This cheese ball recipe can be made 24 hours before serving, so it’s great to make ahead for a party.
- Don’t feel constrained to the round shape… play around with different shapes for your cheese ball, like football shaped for game day, a star for Christmas, etc.
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Ranch Dressing Packet – my favorite brand for a seasoning packet.
- Disposable Gloves – to avoid cream cheese hands, use a pair of these!
- Small Ice Cream Scoop – perfect for cheese ball bites!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese , room temperature
- 3 Tbsp sour cream (optional but recommended)
- 1 oz package ranch seasoning
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese , finely grated (divided)
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese , finely grated (divided)
- 8 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled (divided)
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions (divided)
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
Instructions
MAKE THE CHEESE BALL
- To a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream (if using), ranch seasoning, garlic powder, minced onion, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined with a rubber spatula.
- Add 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, all of the pepper jack cheese, half of the bacon, and half the green onions. Stir until mixed.
- Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap and drop cream cheese mixture onto it. Cover tightly on all sides, and shape into a ball shape. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until firm.
MAKE THE OUTER COATING
- Add remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, remaining bacon and green onions to a small mixing bowl. Add in poppy seeds and refrigerate alongside the cheese ball.
- Before rolling the cheese ball, add pecans and stir well.
BEFORE SERVING
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread out the outer coating in an even layer.
- Remove plastic wrap and roll cheese ball in coating, making sure all sides are coated. You may have to pick up some of the coating and press it so it sticks.
- Serve immediately, or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Michele says
I use a small cookie scoop and make individual cheeseballs
Barbara says
I make this every year for my family and they love it. I also make the spiced crackers to go with it, and that really sets it off.
Nicole says
We made this for a baby shower and I doubled the recipe so the ball came out pretty big. But it was such a hit that it was nearly gone by the time the party was over. 🙂
Cindy says
I made this last year and it was a huge hit! I’ve shared the recipe with half a dozen friends and now it’s requested any time I go to a party.
Caroline says
Cheeseball was a hit! In no time it was gone! I added jalopena and a little worcestershire sauce to it. Thank you for the great recipe :}
Kristina Simon’s says
I’ve had this recipe saved for few years & I make it twice a year! I make two actually lol it’s always a huge hit and everyone asks for it! Best cheese ball recipe to date! 🫶🏻
Holly says
Made this cheese ball for Bunco night and everyone raved about it!
Kelly says
We loved your macaroni and cheese recipe so much that I gave this one a try. Delicious! Taking to a tailgate this weekend.
Krissy says
This recipe has been my go to for years! Every-time I make it, I make two because I know others want one and my family literally devours it LOL Best cheese ball recipe out there! Thank you 😊
Stephanie says
It is delish! My family loves it. Easy to make. Normal ingredients so you will have them on hand.
Sue says
Sounds delicious, but I’m allergic to tree nuts like pecans. I wonder if crushed pretzels (maybe unsalted since bacon is so salty) would be good for the coating?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, crushed pretzels would be delicious 🙂
Jen says
This is absolutely the best cheese ball. This will be my 3rd year making it. I used to save half for Christmas, but this year I think we’ll eat it all for Thanksgiving!
Karmen Exley says
I’ve made this time and time again. We love this recipe. Everyone requests this and wants recipe. It’s the best recipe out there for a cheese ball. And it’s beautiful
Mary says
I made this for a house warming party. The only variation I made was to use half a cup of habanero cheese for a little kick and left out the garlic and onion powder.