MINI BACON AND CHEESE BALLS

These Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls are cheesy, creamy, and flavorful! Coated in bacon, green onions, and pecans. These small bite-size cheese balls are the perfect appetizer! Easy to make and can be made ahead of time.

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls

Who can resist a delicious cheese ball? Make it mini size and it’s even more fun! These adorable Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls are perfect for parties, Super Bowl and football games, and potlucks!

The inside is creamy and cheesy and the outside is loaded with crispy bacon, pecans, and green onions. A pretzel stick inserted makes it easy to grab and enjoy!

Ingredients for Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE MINI BACON AND CHEESE BALLS:

Cream Cheese: You can use regular or low-fat. Make sure it’s at room temperature.

Cheddar Cheese: Freshly grated is best!

Seasonings: Garlic Powder, Paprika, Salt, and Pepper. Adds so much flavor!

Green Onions: Finely chopped. You could also use chives.

Pecans: Also finely chopped. I’m not always a fan of nuts but the crunch they add to this recipe is amazing! Almonds would be another great choice.

Bacon: Cook it until it’s crispy! This is the best part of the recipe. So tasty!

Pretzel Sticks: Adding pretzel sticks to the Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls makes this recipe even more fun!

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls directions

HOW TO MAKE MINI BACON AND CHEESE BALLS:

1- Cook the bacon until it’s crispy and let it cool.

2- Stir the cream cheese (make sure it’s softened!) until it’s smooth.

3- Mix in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

4- Form into balls– and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls how to make

5- Combine the chopped bacon, pecans, and green onions in a ball.

6. Roll the balls in the bacon, pecan, and green onion mixture.

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls how to make

7. Insert the pretzel sticks in each Mini Bacon and Cheese Ball.

8. Chill until ready to serve or enjoy right away!

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls appetizer

Even though the mini cheese balls are small you may still want to serve them with more than just the pretzels you stick in them.

SOME IDEAS OF WHAT ELSE TO SERVE WITH THE MINI BACON AND CHEESE BALLS:

Crackers

Vegetables

Chips

More pretzels

Pita Bread chips etc.

Mini Bacon and Cheese Balls

TO MAKE AHEAD:

Just make the cream cheese part of the cheese ball, and keep it stored in an air-tight container in the fridge. When ready to serve up to 2 days later, cook the bacon and follow the recipe starting at the step to coat the cheese balls.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

ADDITIONAL TIME

1 hour

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

8 slices bacon

1 ½ (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup finely chopped green onions (or chives)

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

18 pretzel sticks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large nonstick pan, cook bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then finely chop. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together cream cheese until smooth. Then mix in the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Use a cookie scoop to form the mixture into 18 small balls and transfer to a parchment–lined baking tray. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

3. In a small bowl, stir together bacon, green onions, and pecans.

4. Roll balls in the bacon-green onion-pecan mixture, insert a pretzel stick into each and let come to room temperature, about 15 minutes before serving. (If not serving right away, loosely cover with cling film and return to fridge.)