The BEST Cheese Ball Recipe (Easy To Make In 15 Minutes)

This classic cheese ball recipe is one of the best appetizers you can make. It combines softened cream cheese with sour cream, cheddar cheese, crunchy nuts, and crispy bacon to create this addictive, out-of-this-world delicious snack. Not to mention it is so, so easy to make. In fact, just 15 minutes and a few simple steps are all you need to whip this cheese ball together!

The Best Cheese Ball

This easy cheese ball recipe might just be the best party appetizer that you could ever make at home. I mean, not only is it loaded with flavor, but it's basically fool-proof to make too.

It's made with a trifecta of cheeses - cream cheese, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese. Then, bacon, nuts, and the perfect balance of seasonings are added to the cheese, and the whole thing gets into a giant ball. It couldn't be simpler, yet the results are out-of-this-world-good.

Plus, as I already mentioned, this classic cheese ball recipe is so quick and easy to make too. Honestly, you can start this recipe just minutes before your guests arrive, and it'll be ready when they arrive. And since it's such an easy appetizer to put out - and everyone always raves about it - it's become a Super Bowl staple when we host.

By the way, since this recipe is so easy to make, you can easily make a couple of other party appetizers to go with it, like this Rotel dip, these stuffed mushrooms, or this crab rangoon. I always like to set out a few options for guests, and those apps are always a success!

Ingredients

The cheese ball ingredients for this recipe are super simple. In fact, I'm pretty sure you already have most - if not all - of them at home waiting for you already!

Anyway, here's everything you'll need to make this homemade cheese ball recipe:

• 4 oz. cooked and crumbled bacon
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar cheese or mild cheddar cheese)
• 2-3 tbsp green onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• Black pepper, to taste

Super simple stuff, right?

By the way, if you have any extra cream cheese, then you should definitely try this cream cheese dip next! It's another super tasty, creamy appetizer - it's one of my wife's favorite recipes on the blog.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

Now, I always make this classic cheese ball recipe with the ingredients listed above because I think it tastes best that way. But, with that said, there are some ways you can change up the recipe and make it your own.

Switch Up The Nuts

If you're not a big fan of walnuts, or if you're running low on walnuts, then you can really use any kind of chopped nuts you want. I've tried this recipe with chopped pecans and chopped almonds, and it always turns out great.

By the way, if one of your guests has a nut allergy, then you can omit the nuts completely.

Add A Sauce

As I mentioned, this recipe is loaded with flavor, but with that said, if you want to add even more flavor to it, you can experiment with adding a little Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce. I usually keep a jar of hot sauce on the table so guests can add their own if they want.

Swap The Seasonings

This classic cheese ball is made with Italian herbs and garlic powder, but you can play around with using other herb and spice blends. In fact, if I'm out of Italian herb seasoning, then I have been known to break out the ranch dressing mix and use that instead to make a bacon ranch cheese ball.

How To Make A Cheese Ball

I can not stress this enough, it couldn't be easier to make this cheese ball platter.

Seriously, it only takes a couple of minutes to make it, and most of that time is spent letting the cheese ball firm up in the fridge. Then, you can either serve it immediately or chill it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

That means you can make the dip in the morning before your guests arrive and then uncover it and have it ready as soon as they walk in the door!

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and make this cheese ball recipe!

Step 1: Combine The Ingredients

First things first, you're going to combine most of your ingredients together. So, you'll want to grab a large mixing bowl and add half of your bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon of green onions, 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, Italian herbs, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of poppy seeds, and the black pepper to taste to the bowl.

Then, after you've added those into the bowl, you'll want to mix the ingredients well with a rubber spatula and place the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up. If you're planning on leaving it in the fridge for longer, then cover the top in plastic wrap.

Step 2: Assemble The Toppings

Now, while the cream cheese mixture is in the fridge, you're going to combine the rest of the ingredients on a plate to coat the outside of your cheese ball with them.

Step 3: Shape The Cheese Ball

Once the cream cheese mixture has firmed up, shape the mixture into a ball - or multiple ones if you want to make multiple smaller cheese balls  - and place it/them on top of the remaining ingredients on the plate. Then you can roll the cheese ball/s through the toppings until it's completely covered it 'em.

Finally, you can serve the cheese ball surrounded by some crackers, toasted bread slices, or whatever you want for dipping and spreading. Enjoy!

How To Store A Cheese Ball

This recipe for a cheese ball makes about 8 servings. So this chees ball platter really makes a perfect appetizer to serve to a crowd or even at a big family gathering.

Now, since this cheese ball recipe is so delicious, you probably won't have any leftovers. But, if you do, you can store the cheese ball in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. With that said, if you're planning on saving some - or making it ahead of time - it's best not to roll it in the nuts until you're ready to serve because they'll get soggy.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make a cheese ball!

I know I'm biased, but I think this is one of the best cheese ball recipes you'll ever make. It's just so savory and rich, and it's full of flavor from start to finish. It'll be the talk of the party if you serve it as an appetizer or game-day snack, and everyone is guaranteed to love it!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this cheese ball recipe as much as I/we do. As always, if you give this recipe a try, then be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went.

More Appetizer Recipes

If you loved this cheese ball recipe and are in the mood to make even more easy appetizer recipes, we have a bunch on the blog that you can try next.

Here are a few of our readers' favorites:

• Spicy hummus
• Armadillo eggs
• Chipolte guac
• Deviled ham
• Dill dip

Oh, and for even more deliciousness, be sure to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new recipes on them every day!

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