Bacon Cheese Ball and Other Easy Tailgate Foods
This bacon cheese ball is an easy tailgate food that’s perfect for a game day crowd! A classic cheese ball recipe with cream cheese is kicked up with chipotle peppers and spices, then covered crispy bacon pieces. The best cheese ball recipe for pre-game snacking!
With a new football season underway (and my beloved Green Bay Packers in a great position of contention this year), I’m sharing my best cheese ball recipe with you.
Your party guests will go crazy for this spicy bacon cheese ball! AND, because it’s the first of the month, my blogging friends are sharing some of their favorite easy tailgate food with you. First, allow me answer a few common cheese ball questions.
How do I make a cheese ball?
A cheese ball is essentially created with soft varieties of cheese that are combined and packed together into a ball. You can use just about any soft cheeses you like. This bacon cheese ball recipe has:
- cream cheese
- cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack (or Colby Jack)
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- chili powder, and
- an exterior of crunchy bacon pieces.
With these simple ingredients and about 10 minutes to make, this bacon cheese ball should be at the top of your party food list. Because I live in Wisconsin, also know as The Dairyland State, cheese is a must and a necessity for me to use in my favorite game day recipes. Bacon is a necessity because… well, it’s my favorite food. I love bacon!
If loving salty, crispy bits of pork fat is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Substitutes for Bacon
If you’re a vegetarian or you’d like to keep things a little bit healthier, feel free to swap out the bacon and roll the cheese ball in any of these ingredients instead:
- chives
- crushed nuts
- sunflower seeds
- chopped jalapeno peppers
You could even add some finely chopped baby spinach in with the cheese, or you can use all low-fat cheeses if you want. The idea is to make the cheese ball one that’ll disappear from the party platter faster than you can say touchdown!
If you love bacon and cheese but you prefer warm dip recipes, make a batch of my Warm and Creamy Bacon Cheddar Dip
How long does a cheese ball last?
If for some strange reason, your bacon cheese ball isn’t devoured right away, cover it well with plastic wrap or store it in a tightly covered container. Refrigerated, it should keep well for a couple of weeks. Obviously, if you see green fuzzy stuff growing on your cheese ball, don’t eat it… toss it.
If you’re looking for some game day food that’s a bit healthier than this spicy bacon cheese ball recipe, you should check out my recipes for Spicy Parmesan Kale Chips or Ranch Roasted Nuts Snack Mix. They’re both also quite yummi!
How to Make a Bacon Cheese Ball
After you check out the cheese ball recipe, be sure to scroll down for more easy tailgate food recipes from me and my food blogging friends!
Spicy Bacon Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar is best
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (about 1 cup of cooked bacon pieces)
Instructions
- Place cheeses in the bowl of a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, use a high speed blender.) Process until cheeses are combined.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for bacon pieces and pulse to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove plastic wrap and use clean hands to form cheese into a ball. Place bacon pieces on a plate and roll cheese ball in them before transferring to a serving platter.
- Serve with crackers, chips, or raw veggies.
Nutrition
More Easy Tailgate Food
Check these delicious game day recipes out and then leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear which one you think you’ll make first!
- Warm Cheesy Spinach Dip with Bacon {Low Carb}
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Clams Casino Dip
- Warm Bacon Cheddar Dip
- Chocolate Lush (Chocolate Dessert Lasagna)
- Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dog Bites, from It Bakes Me Happy
- Football Game Day Cookies, from Kleinworth and Co.
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Dip, from Bread Booze Bacon
- Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers, from Homemade Interest
- Tropical Chicken with Grilled Pineapple, from Tara Teaspoon
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, from Around My Family Table
- Sloppy Joe Sliders, from I Just Make Sandwiches
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, from The Anthony Kitchen
- Homemade Soft Pretzels with Mustard Cheese Dip, from House of Nash Eats
- Bruschetta Turkey Burger Sliders, from Barbara Bakes
- Red Potato Salad with Bacon, from The Two Bite Club
- Easy Pizza Kabobs, from Frugal Foodie Mama
- Deviled Eggs, from Cooking on the Front Burners
This post was originally published on January 7, 2015. The images were updated and the links to easy tailgate foods were added for this publishing.
Wow! This bacon cheese ball looks so appetizing. Thanks for the recipe. I also like the spicy parmesan kale chips and ranch roasted nuts snack mix.
You had me at bacon! Looks perfect for day game!
You can’t go wrong with adding bacon to a cheeseball!
Always happy to see a cheese ball on a buffet table!
You can never go wrong with cheese! 🙂
I can’t get enough chipotle lately. And that bacon puts it over the top! Love it!
You absolutely can’t go wrong with bacon!
Anytime anyone brings a cheese-ball to a party I eat so much of it!! This combo looks amazing, thanks for sharing!!