Description
These Cheese Ball Bites are a delicious and savory appetizer featuring creamy cream cheese combined with sharp cheddar, seasoned with garlic and paprika, then coated in a flavorful mixture of crispy bacon, roasted pecans, and fresh chives. They’re perfectly bite-sized, served on pretzel sticks, and ideal for parties or snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Mixture
- 1 1/2 (12-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Coating and Garnish
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup roasted salted pecans, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
- 18 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Prepare the cheese mixture: In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form the mixture into 18 small balls, about 1 inch each, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the cheese balls for about 1 hour to allow them to firm up.
- Cook the bacon: While the cheese balls are chilling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and evenly browned, approximately 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat, then transfer to a cutting board and finely chop.
- Make the coating mix: In a shallow bowl, combine the finely chopped bacon, chopped roasted pecans, and chopped fresh chives. Mix well to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Coat the cheese balls and assemble: Remove the cheese balls from the refrigerator. Roll each ball in the bacon, pecan, and chive mixture until well coated. Insert a pretzel stick into each cheese ball for easy handling and presentation. Let the bites come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. If not serving immediately, loosely cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
- You can substitute smoked cheddar or a different sharp cheese for varied flavor.
- For a nut-free option, omit pecans and increase bacon and chives accordingly.
- If you prefer less salt, adjust the amount of kosher salt and use low-sodium pecans and bacon.
- These cheese ball bites can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated to save prep time.
- Serve as an appetizer or party snack for easy finger food.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball bite
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
