You’ll be everyone’s favorite when you show up at a party with this BBQ Bacon Cheese ball! It’s easy to throw together, and simple flavors everyone likes.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.
Ohhhhh basketball, you may not be as popular as football in our house but we still adore you and I especially adore figuring out new deliciousness to serve up while we cheer on our favorites. This BBQ Bacon Cheese Ball has turned out to be a huge favorite in our house and if you know us there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing it pop up at events and parties all year round.
I had the genius idea that we still had Fisher Nuts Pecans in our pantry and I could try my first ever cheese ball.
First. Ever. I love dips and snacks as you can tell from our mouthwatering Appetizer section, but I never really thought about a cheese ball so I never made one. I googled the heck out of them for ideas but everything was Hawaiian or Ranch and I just wasn’t feelin’ it. With a Southern husband I knew the direction to go, Pecans that are all natural just like the South likes ’em and BBQ because, well that’s obvious.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
And guess what? It’s so easy! Just throw your favorite BBQ sauce, or better yet use ours because it really, truly is the best IMHO, cream cheese, cheese, green onions, bacon and sour cream in a large bowl.
BBQ Dry Rub
Sprinkle in what would normally be your dry rub, brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic, salt, and smoked paprika. Now stir it all up and refrigerate to help it set up enough to form into a ball.
And here’s the most important part! Brown. Sugar. Bacon. That’s right, you heard me. The 2 slices that go in the cheese ball can just be baked until crisp, but on the other 4-5 slices sprinkle with a little brown sugar before popping them into the oven. Yes, the oven. Have you jumped on that band wagon? It really is the best way to cook bacon.
Now toast your pecans, Puh cahns. PUH. CAHNS. Please stop saying PEE CANS. Just a quick PSA. Wait, and also please use a great all natural brand for Pecans like Fisher Nuts. Trust me, it’s always the simple ingredients that can make or break appetizers and you want good ones.
How to Make a Cheese Ball
Anyway, pulse the pecans in a food processor, blender or finely chop by hand. Not into a powder, just incredible small bits of nuts. Finely chop your cooked and cooled brown sugar bacon and toss them together with a green onion or two. Shape the cheese in a ball and roll all over in that delicious mixture. Now you can wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or serve right away. Do it with crackers and try reeeeeaaaallllly hard not to eat the entire thing. Good luck with that.
BBQ Bacon Cheese Ball
BBQ Bacon Cheese Ball
BBQ Bacon Cheese Ball
Description
Ingredients
- 7 Slices Bacon, divided
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 Cup [Fisher Nuts] Pecan Halves
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
- 1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
- 1/4 Cup BBQ Sauce [, Our homemade is our favorite]
- 2 Green Onions, chopped and divided
- 1 1/4 Cup Colby Jack Cheese, shredded (cheddar is fine)
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- Ritz Crackers for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 and line a cookie sheet with foil.
- Place the bacon on the sheet and sprinkle 5 slices with brown sugar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp depending on thickness.
- Remove to drain off any grease and allow to cool.
- Chop the bacon into fine bits keeping the brown sugar bacon and regular bacon separate.
- Set aside.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the pecans.
- Toast, moving the nuts occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Remove to a cutting board to cool and then pulse in a food processor or blender until it's in small bits. Do not over pulse or it will be a powder.
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, bbq sauce, one green onion, grated cheese and seasonings.
- Stir to combine and then stir in the bacon without the brown sugar.
- Place in the fridge to set for 30-60 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and form into a ball.
- Place the nuts, brown sugar bacon bits on a plate and toss to evenly combine.
- Roll the cheese ball in the nuts, pressing to get everything to stick.
- Garnish with extra green onions.
- Serve immediately or wrap in saran wrap for up to 24 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.
Allison Miller
I need to make this! I love easy apps like this and everyone always loves a cheeseball!
tearl
This was great! I added another green onion because I like them. And sorry, I was born and raised in Alabama and have heard PEE-CANS/CONS all my life, except for the way yankees say it. LOL. Thanks for a great recipe.
Sweet Basil
LOL!! Well I’ll let you say Pee-cans all you want since you are a true southerner and i’m a little jealous of that. 🙂
Deborah
Your first cheese ball?? I’m glad you finally tried one, because they are basically one of my favorite things ever. And I’m loving your version!
Sweet Basil
I know, right?! lol, I don’t know why I never made growing up either!
Naomi
This dip – I want to eat gobs of it!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
Oh my. This looks so good! I swear, basketball is the ONE sports reprieve I get – my husband doesn’t care about it. ha!
Sweet Basil
Thank goodness! lol
Melanie
Oh WOW! My boys are huge March Madness fans and they love bacon! I will have to make this for sure:) YUM!!
[email protected]
I can’t believe the time to fill out our brackets has arrived! Bring on the bacon ball (oh and the basketball too).