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Giant Pecan Bacon Cheeseball

This giant pecan bacon cheeseball is ideal for your next dinner party or holiday gathering. Rich, soft, and creamy on the inside and savory and crunchy on the outside it’s a perfect mouthful of flavor and texture. Serve with some chips, raw veggies, or crackers for a decadent dipping experience. 

Why You’ll Love This Cheese Ball Recipe

This no-bake cheesy appetizer is the perfect no-fuss dish to serve at your next dinner party or celebration. 

This bacon pecan cheeseball is loaded with flavor and texture from the combination of rich cream cheese, salty bacon, and crunchy pecans

The perfect make-ahead dish you can prep a day or two before you want to serve it. Simply leave it in the fridge until your guests arrive. 

If you expecting a big crowd you can easily double this recipe and make two giant bacon cheeseballs for your gang to enjoy. 

Helpful Equipment To Make Philadelphia Cream Cheese Ball With Pecans

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Hand mixer

Ingredients for giant pecan bacon cheeseball

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded triple cheddar cheese
• ½ cup bacon bits
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• 2 tbsp milk (of your choice)
• 2 tsp everything bagel seasoning
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Salt, to taste
• Black crushed pepper, to taste

How To Make This Cream Cheese Ball With Bacon

Place cream cheese, shredded cheddar, seasonings, and milk in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Using a hand mixer, mix well until all the ingredients are well combined and smooth. 

Chop the pecans into small pieces and then mix half of them with half the bacon bits and half of the scallions and add to the cheese mixture. 

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the kitchen counter. Using your hands, form a ball with the cheese mixture and place it on the plastic wrap. Wrap the cheese mixture into a firm ball shape using the plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden up. 

Combine the remaining chopped pecans, bacon bits, and scallions in a shallow bowl. 

Remove the cheeseball from the fridge and roll it in the shallow bowl with the pecans, bacon bits, and scallions, making sure the whole ball is coated well. 

Transfer to a serving dish and serve with some crackers, veggies or pita chips. 

Prep time: 25 min

All About Cheeseballs

This pecan bacon cheeseball is the ideal appetizer for sharing. This crowd-pleasing dish with cream cheese, bacon, scallions, and everything bagel seasoning is loaded with flavor and texture. 

Variations

• Try flavored cream cheese instead of plain to make this cheese ball recipe with bacon. Chive cream cheese would work really really as would garlic and herb. 
• Change up the cheese and use gouda or gruyere instead of cheddar. Or whatever you have on hand. 
• Instead of pecans try walnuts, toast them beforehand for a deeper flavor. 
• Add your favorite herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary, or dill. 
• Spice up the cheeseball and add a dash of hot sauce or sriracha to the cheese mixture. 
• Instead of scallions use chives, shallots red onion. 
• Make mini cheeseballs instead of one large cheeseball. 

Tips and Tricks/Notes

Don’t use low-fat cream cheese, the taste, and texture of the cheeseball will not be as rich. 

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge a few minutes before you want to prepare these cheese and bacon balls so it can soften slightly which will make blending easier.

Buy unsalted pecans so the cheese balls are not too salty as the bagel seasoning already has salt in it. You can always add more salt if you find the cheeseball needs it. 

Use a mini chop or food processor to chop the pecans so they get nice and small. 

For really flavorful bacon, cook your own and chop it into small bits. Borth pork or turkey bacon will work.  

Prepare the cheese ball a few days before you want to serve it to allow the flavors to develop and mingle.

If you don’t have any everything bagel seasoning you can make your own by mixing up white and black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced garlic, onion flakes, and salt. 

How To Store

This pecan and cheese ball will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the plastic wrap  I do not recommend freezing the cheese ball. 

FAQs

How do I make cheese balls?

If you are looking to make cheese balls, just follow this recipe. 

Conclusion

This giant pecan bacon cheeseball is the perfect appetizer to serve at your next dinner party. Easy and with just a few simple ingredients your guests will be happily dipping and scooping while they wait for the next delicious dish. 

I like to serve this pecan bacon cheeseball as an appetizer while I get dinner ready. It goes particularly well with Grilled Steak and Garlic Mashed Potatoes or these Lamb Chops with Grilled Asparagus. 

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