Description
Cheese Ball Bites are a delicious and savory appetizer featuring creamy cheddar and cream cheese balls, seasoned with garlic and paprika, coated in a crunchy mixture of crispy bacon, roasted pecans, and fresh chives, and served with pretzel sticks for easy dipping. Perfect for parties or casual get-togethers.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 1 1/2 (12-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bacon Pecan Coating
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup roasted salted pecans, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
Serving
- 18 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Ball Mixture: In a large bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.
- Form Cheese Balls: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, form the cream cheese mixture into 18 small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place the formed balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to allow the balls to firm up.
- Cook Bacon: While the cheese balls chill, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally, until they are crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, finely chop the bacon on a cutting board.
- Mix Coating Mixture: In a shallow bowl, combine the crispy chopped bacon, finely chopped roasted pecans, and fresh chives, mixing thoroughly to create the coating blend.
- Coat Cheese Balls: Roll each chilled cheese ball in the bacon, pecan, and chive mixture, ensuring each ball is fully coated for a flavorful crust.
- Assemble with Pretzel Sticks: Insert a pretzel stick into each coated cheese ball to create easy-to-handle bites. Let them come to room temperature for approximately 15 minutes before serving.
- Storage: If not serving immediately, loosely cover the cheese ball bites with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can substitute cheddar with sharp white cheddar or a mix of cheeses for different flavors.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the cream cheese mixture.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- The cheese balls can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated to save time on the day of serving.
- Use roasted salted pecans for optimal flavor; unsalted nuts can be used but may change the taste slightly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
