Description
These Cheese Ball Bites are a delightful appetizer combining creamy cheddar and cream cheese with smoky bacon, crunchy pecans, and fresh chives, all perfectly paired with pretzel sticks for easy serving. Ideal for parties or snack time, they offer a flavorful bite-sized treat that’s simple to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cheese 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
Toppings
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup roasted salted pecans, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
Serving
- 18 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Make the Cheese Balls: In a large bowl, stir together softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Using a cookie scoop, form the mixture into 18 small balls, approximately 1 inch in diameter. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for about 1 hour until firm.
- Cook the Bacon: While the cheese balls chill, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crispy, which should take about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, chop the bacon finely on a cutting board.
- Prepare the Coating Mix: In a shallow bowl, combine the chopped bacon, finely chopped roasted salted pecans, and chopped fresh chives. Mix well to distribute evenly.
- Coat the Cheese Balls: Roll each chilled cheese ball in the bacon, pecan, and chive mixture until fully coated. Insert a pretzel stick into each ball to serve as a handle or skewer.
- Serve: Let the cheese ball bites come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for optimal flavor. If not serving immediately, loosely cover the bites with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make sure cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Chilling the cheese balls helps them hold their shape during coating.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans and substitute with finely chopped crispy bacon and extra chives.
- These bites can be prepared a day ahead; just keep refrigerated until serving.
- The pretzel sticks add crunch and make the bites easy to handle, but cocktail picks can be used as an alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball bite
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
