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recipes side dish
October 24, 2019

THE BEST Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

In today’s post: This bacon ranch cheeseball is the perfect appetizer for any special holiday or family dinner! 

We all know the most important of Thanksgiving is being thankful for our blessings. But the BEST part of Thanksgiving (or any other holiday for that matter) is the food! And it’s not even the turkey or the ham that I’m talking about. It’s the side dishes. And appetizers! Everything from a simple veggie tray to special scalloped potatoes to those darn little smokies that are magically delicious.

I just like an excuse to make all the extra goodies that I don’t normally add to weeknight dinners.

This Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball is one of our favorite holiday extras:

You will LOVE this easy bacon ranch cheeseball! The perfect easy appetizer for the holidays or anytime.

I love me a good cheese ball, but I don’t make them very often…mostly because I could eat the entire thing. So I usually only make a cheese ball for holiday dinners or other get togethers. It’s the perfect thing to make in advance and put out on the counter for people to snack on while the final bits of meal prep are under way.

Bacon ranch cheeseball covered in chopped almonds on a plate with crackers

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

This cheese ball is the perfect appetizer:

  • It’s suuuuuper easy to make
  • You can make it in advance (even the day before) and just stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve
  • Everyone loves it. Everyone!

Yes, it’s rolled in nut, but the recipe card will give you some other options if you’d like to make it nut-free.

Bacon ranch cheeseball covered in chopped almonds on a plate with crackers

Recipe Video

Here’s a video that shows the whole process:

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Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe

Here’s a printable recipe card for you. Scroll down for more photos and a video.

Bacon ranch cheeseball surrounded by crackers
Print Recipe

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

This bacon ranch cheeseball is the perfect appetizer for any special holiday or family dinner!
Prep Time20 mins
Chill Time1 hr
Course: Appetizer
Keyword: Cheese Ball
Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
  • 1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 3 Green Onions sliced
  • 1/3 cup Real Bacon Bits or chopped bacon
  • 2 tbsp Milk
  • 1.5 tbsp Ranch Dressing or Dip Mix (half of a packet)
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Nuts

Instructions

  • Place softened cream cheese and other ingredients EXCEPT nuts in a bowl.
  • Beat ingredients together until well combined.
  • Spoon mixture out onto piece of wax paper. Pull up the edges of the wax paper and form mixture into a ball shape, using the paper to protect your hands.
  • Spread chopped nuts out on another piece of wax paper. Roll the cheese ball in the nuts until completely covered.
  • Wrap cheese ball in wax paper, foil, or plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour.

Notes

If you'd like to make the cheese ball nut free, you can roll it in more bacon bits or fresh herbs, such as chopped parsley or chives.

This easy cheese ball only has seven ingredients:

  • cream cheese
  • cheddar cheese
  • Ranch dressing/dip mix
  • Bacon bits
  • green onions
  • milk
  • chopped nuts (I use almonds)

Cheese ball ingredients: cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, bacon bits, ranch dressing mix, almonds

And assembly is super simple as well! Just put everything except the nuts in a bowl (be sure you’ve softened the cream cheese first) and mix together using a hand mixer.

Cheese ball ingredients: cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, bacon bits, ranch dressing mix, almonds

Then you’ll shape the mixture into a ball and roll it in chopped nuts. Lastly, wrap it up and chill at least 1 hour.

 

Easy cheese ball recipe

 

Bacon ranch cheeseball ingredients: cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, ranch seasoning, bacon bits, almonds

 

 

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Home » recipes » side dish » THE BEST Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball


12 Comments

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Comments

  1. JAnice King says

    February 1, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I’m wondering the Ranch dressing mix, is that dressing you buy in bottle or the packet of ranch dressing mix?

    Reply
    • autumn says

      February 2, 2016 at 7:33 am

      It’s the packet of dry mix!

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        August 17, 2017 at 8:33 am

        Sorry, but is the “T” stand for tablespoon? or teaspoon? when talking about the ranch dressing….

        Reply
        • autumn says

          August 17, 2017 at 7:42 pm

          Capital T is for tablespoon, thanks!

          Reply
  2. Adela says

    February 1, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    SO,so easy! I”m all for easy and great tasting. A big hit in my book!!!

    Reply
  3. Barbra says

    November 22, 2014 at 11:26 am

    If any kind of nut allergies may be an issue for your guests, or if you just have a hankering for bacon, instead of rolling the ball in the almonds, just get a bag of real bacon pieces and roll the ball in them instead. It doesn’t create any extra steps, and bacon/ranch lovers will love it!

    Reply
    • autumn says

      November 24, 2014 at 8:29 am

      thanks, Barbra – that’s a great idea!

      Reply
    • Diane Adams says

      November 25, 2015 at 7:12 am

      I’ve also rolled in parsley or paprika. both good

      Reply
  4. maey morgan says

    July 23, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    lov ur recipes

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 15 New Year's Eve Party Food Ideas- A Cultivated Nest says:
    December 15, 2017 at 4:36 pm

    […] This Ranch Cheeseball by It’s Always Autumn is easy, like really easy, and will go great with your favorite crackers. […]

    Reply
  2. 25+ New Year's Eve Food Ideas - Crazy Little Projects says:
    December 26, 2013 at 8:12 pm

    […] cheese ball is a must for me on New Year’s Eve. Here’s a Ranch Cheese Ball that looks great from It’s Always […]

    Reply
  3. 20 fantastic homemade treats for gifting this Christmas says:
    December 13, 2013 at 3:17 pm

    […] recipe makes them ultra-sweet – I think they taste better with just 2/3 of the bag. 18. Easy Ranch Cheeseball. It’s easy to overdose on the sweets during the holiday season, so you might want to consider […]

    Reply

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I'm Autumn, a mom of five who loves ice cream, Masterpiece Theatre, and clothes that hide the fact that I eat so much ice cream. When I was 18 I got a job at a craft store and told everyone (regularly) how much I hated crafts. Well, things change! Read More…

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