Our Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball is your golden ticket to becoming the host with the most. Imagine the fiery kick of jalapeno, the comforting embrace of smoked cream cheese, and the irresistible crunch of bacon all rolled into one.
This isn’t just a cheese ball, it’s a culinary adventure – and the best part? You can whip it up in just 5 simple steps! Perfect for any occasion, shape it into footballs for game days, hearts for Valentine’s, pumpkins for Halloween, or keep it classic with a round ball.
The smoky, deep flavor will have your guests begging for the recipe. Plus, stay tuned for a bonus tip that will save you time and cut down on cleanup. Get ready to dazzle with this easy, homemade appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love The Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball
- Simplicity Meets Sophistication: Crafting this jalapeno cheese ball is a breeze, yet the result? A tantalizing blend of flavors that’ll have everyone thinking you’re a culinary wizard. It’s the kind of recipe that turns any gathering into a gourmet affair.
- Prep Now, Party Later: One of the best things about this recipe? It’s a make-ahead marvel! Prepare it in advance, stash it in the fridge, and voila – you’re party-ready with a delectable appetizer that’s chill and ready to thrill.
- Shape It Your Way: Whether you’re hosting a Halloween bash, a romantic Valentine’s evening, or a spirited game day, this cheese ball can morph to match. Mold it into pumpkins, hearts, footballs – you name it. It’s like play-doh for foodies!
- Quick-Fix Gourmet: Imagine going from zero to hero in just 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to whip up this jalapeno popper cheese ball. It’s perfect for those last-minute gatherings or when you need a quick, impressive nibble.
- Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Flavor: No need to hunt down exotic ingredients; everything you need for this cheese ball is likely already in your pantry or just a quick store run away. Easy to find, easy to love.
- One Bowl, No Fuss: Forget about a mountain of dishes. This recipe is a one-bowl wonder, making both prep and cleanup as easy as 1-2-3. More time to enjoy the party, less time tied to the sink.
- Flex Your Flavors: The real beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility. Feel free to tweak the ingredients to suit your taste or theme. It’s a canvas for your culinary creativity!
Kitchen Essentials For Your Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball Popper
The kitchen essentials needed to make a homemade spicy cheeseball with jalapenos are minimalistic, everyday items you already have in your kitchen!
- Medium-Sized Bowl: The Goldilocks of bowls – not too big, not too small, just right for mixing without any messy overflows. Plus, it doubles as a perfect chilling container for your cheese ball, minimizing cleanup.
- Mighty Fork: This isn’t just any fork; it’s your trusty companion for whipping cream cheese into creamy perfection. A kitchen warrior in disguise.
- Sharp Knife or Kitchen Shears: Whether it’s snipping chives for that gourmet touch or dicing jalapeños for a spicy kick, these tools are your secret weapons for precision and efficiency.
- Rubber Scraper: The unsung hero of the kitchen. It scrapes, it scoops, it ensures not a speck of cheese mix is wasted. This tool guarantees a perfectly mixed cheese ball, every time.
- Measuring Spoons: For those who love a bit of culinary accuracy, these are your best friends. They ensure each cheese ball batch is as scrumptiously consistent as the last.
- Hand Mixer (Optional): For the mix-masters who prefer a gadget over manual mixing, this is your optional ally. It’s all about making the process as enjoyable as the eating!
- Serving Tray or Cookie Baking Tray: The stage for your cheese ball masterpiece. Whether you’re going for football chic or classic round elegance, these trays make serving a breeze.
- Parchment Paper: A simple, yet effective solution for a no-fuss, no-muss display of your culinary creation.
Pro Tip: Skip the plastic wrap! With the right mixing and chilling technique, your cheese ball will be the perfect consistency to roll and chill right in your mixing bowl. Invest in a quality bowl that can go from kitchen to fridge – it’s a game-changer.
Flavor Lineup for Your Knockout Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball:
The ingredients used in the recipe are simple and very easy to find, so you won’t be running around from grocery stores to big box retailers just to find what you need.
- Bacon: The star player in both our football-shaped and classic round cheese balls. Check the recipe card for the exact quantities needed to make your cheese ball sizzle with bacon goodness.
- Smoke Sauce: No need for a smoker – this little secret is your shortcut to that rich, smoky flavor. And hey, feel free to skip it, but trust me, one taste and you’ll be hooked! It elevates your jalapeño cheese ball to legendary status.
- Jalapeño Pepper: For those spicy kick lovers! If you’re unsure about handling this fiery friend, take a peek at the link above. It’s a lifesaver for slicing and dicing without drama.
- Cream Cheese: Why break the bank? Sure, Philadelphia is great, but your local store brand is just as creamy and perfect for this recipe. Your wallet (and taste buds) will thank you.
- Mexican-Blend Cheese: This is where the magic happens! A mix of Asadero, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and more melds together for that ooey-gooey, stretchy, cheesy bliss.
- Smoked Paprika: It’s all about layering flavors, and smoked paprika does it with style – adding just enough smokiness without overpowering.
- Garlic Powder: Don’t skip this! It’s the silent hero that brings it all together. Without it, you might find your cheese ball missing that ‘oomph’.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper: These are your finishing touches. Optional, but they add just the right amount of seasoning to bring out all the other flavors.
- Chipotle Powder: For those who love a bit of a kick, this is your go-to. Optional, but highly recommended for an extra smoky spice layer.
- Fresh Chives: A garnish that’s not just about looks – it adds a subtle, oniony flavor. Optional, but it’s the little touches that make your dish go from great to amazing.
How To Make A Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball (Football Shaped)
As with any recipe, before you start, gather all of your ingredients, this makes your prep for the recipe so much easier.
Also, you can find the prep ingredients in the recipe card so that you know what needs to be done before you start pulling the dip together, such as washing, chopping, etc.
Step 1: Prep Your Bacon For the Jalapeno Popper Cream Cheese Ball (my timesaver step is here!)
I use a bag of bacon bites that I buy from one of the warehouse memberships that I have and this is a time-saver because the bacon is already chopped and it just needs to be microwaved to be crisped up!
Plus if you start with this step, you’ll use the same bowl throughout the whole recipe to create the jalapeño and bacon cream cheese ball mixture.
Simply place the bacon into the bowl, cover it, and microwave per the bag’s cooking directions.
Once the bacon is done cooking, carefully remove it from the microwave and dab it with a paper towel, but let it in the bowl, and if there is some bacon grease don’t worry you can just use that because I always do (another insider’s tip)
In Step 2 Mix Up the Bacon With Your Jalapeno
Combine 1/2 the bacon crumbles with the jalapeno pepper, then stir to combine.
Step 3 Combines All The Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Recipe Ingredients
Add the cream cheese, Mexican Cheese, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and smoke sauce into the jalapeno bacon popper mixture, and optionally add in the chipotle powder and salt and pepper if you have opted to use those ingredients.
Stir vigorously, you’ll really need to mix in the ingredients so that the flavor is balanced and consistent, so stir as you mean it. (optionally, but requires cleaning another appliance, you could use a food processor or blender to combine)
Step 4 Shape The Bacon Jalapeno Smoked Cream Cheese Ball
I’ve made this recipe so many times I could make it blindfolded, and I’ve never refrigerated this before I’ve shaped it, but you can for up to 10 minutes if for some reason you let your cream cheese get too soft or if the bacon was too hot and made everything creamy (yes been there, done that!)
For reference then, I simply make sure the mixture will roll into a ball inside the bowl, and then if it does I continue working with it and I add the remaining bacon crumbles and place it on a serving tray.
Now that you have created your spicy cheese ball, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, just enough to firm up the bacon and jalapeno cheddar cream cheese mixture.
Alternative Step 4 To Make the Football-Shaped Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball
Transfer the ball to the oval, shallow-rimmed dish or whatever serving platter you are using, then flatten it slightly by pushing on the ball and forming it into a football shape.
Next, add the bacon pieces heavy across the top and sides by hand by depressing them slightly into the top and side as you want to create the look of a brown football and the bacon fits the color perfectly! (remember to see the alternative amount of bacon crumbles in the recipe card as it is a bit more than the basic round spicy bacon cheese ball)
Add your cheese strips down the middle to create the illusion of white strings on the football and you can add those white lines at the end of both sides even though in the NFL they don’t have them, it does give the visual effect of a football to truly define your food art!
Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, just enough to firm up the bacon and jalapeno cheddar cream cheese mixture.
Step 5: Add The Dippers And Serve
Remove the bacon-loaded double cheese popper ball or football-shaped jalapeno popper cheese ball from the fridge and it’s time to prep it to serve.
Load that serving platter with pita chips, or crunchy flat pretzel crisps, cauliflower pieces, celery, radishes, zucchini strips, pepper sticks, or anything that dips well.
Enjoy!
What To Serve With Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball Popper?
- pretzels
- crackers
- pita chips
- celery
- carrots
- pepper strips
- zucchini strips
- radishes
- cauliflower
- broccoli florets
- cucumbers
- snow peas
What Can I Substitute IN Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Recipe?
So you know everything that you can put into this recipe, let’s talk about what you can add or change up
- use some hot sauce to increase the heat (a few drops at a time
- Worcestershire sauce can be added
- a few tablespoons of mayo if you want a softer cheeseball
- a few tablespoons of ranch dressing or dry ranch powder
- chili powder but this definitely changes the taste
- fresh parsley
- dried oregano
- chopped salt and vinegar pistachios (oh very good choice!)
What Can I Eliminate From the Jalapeño and Bacon Cream Cheese Ball Recipe?
While it’s true the jalapeño and bacon cream cheese ball is exploding with the flavor we can tame it down quite a bit and here are a few options.
- if you don’t prefer heat, don’t add the jalapeno pepper to the recipe, and while you might say it is no longer a bacon jalapeno popper cousin it is your recipe, so do what YOU want! The jalapeno can also be lessened in quantity.
- use green chilies drained and in a can instead of the jalapeno, but I don’t like them in the recipe because they have a ‘wet’ texture changes the recipe a bit but they can be subbed and that is just my POV.
- Don’t add the bacon, and then it is a meatless appetizer, or add the bacon on the side (but this is not an option if you ar making the football-shaped jalapeno popper cheese ball because the color of the bacon really makes the football look like a football!
- Eliminate the smoke flavor if you don’t care for smoked foods.
- Add in Cayenne pepper if you want more heat
- use chives throughout the mixture or cilantro
Other Easy Party Recipes You Can Use
If you are having a summer party, football party, tailgating for football, hosting Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, etc., I’ll give you a quick roundup of some other terrific party food recipes you can use.
- 7 Layer Fiesta Dip
- Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
- Caprese Skewers
- Zucchini Mozzarella
- Hasselback Mushrooms with Caramelized Onions
Make Sure To Come Back And Tell Me How Your Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Turned Out
I love hearing from all of my readers so reach out to me by email HERE or tag me on Instagram by sharing your photos of this recipe for Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball Popper
Print the Recipe ↓↓ For The Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball (Football-Shaped Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Too)
Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball
Make this quick and easy bacon jalapeno popper cheese ball in 5 steps, and experience bold flavors of jalapeno, lightly smoked cream cheese, crunchy bacon, and a blend of Mexican cheeses meld together creating an interesting take on jalapeño poppers, in just 5 easy steps, and the flexibility to shape the jalapeno bacon and smoked cream cheese mixture into footballs, hearts, pumpkins or a basic round balls for all of your parties, and gatherings!
The jalapeno bacon cheese ball has a smoky secondary flavor that increases the depth of flavor and you'll be impressed at how easy it is to make this homemade popper cheese ball with crunchy bacon!
As a bonus, I am sharing a time-saver staple ingredient that cuts out extra dishes and a mess, so there is less to clean up making this recipe for my jalapeño and bacon cream cheese ball so attractive to use as an appetizer for your parties!
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup bacon crumbles (for the ball, and 1 C for the Football shape)
- 1-2 t. smoke sauce (start with less add more if you like the taste)
- ½ large jalapeño pepper, finely minced, divided
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ c. Mexican-blend cheese, finely shredded
- ½ t. smoked paprika
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 2 Sprigs of chive - chopped (optional for decor)
- ½ t. Mexican oregano - optional
- ½ t. chipotle powder - optional
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste - optional
- For The Football Shaped Bacon Jalapen Popper Cheese Ball
- 1 8 oz Piece of White cheese (American, pepperjack- for more spice, mozzarella, etc)
- cut into 3-6 small pieces (white strings on football) + 1 longer strip (1/2 of the football) to place the white strings across (if you are doing the ends of the football 2 you will need to make 2 addtional cuts in the slice but you can read the post to learn about that)
Instructions
- Place the bacon into the bowl, cover it, and microwave per the bag's cooking directions.
- Once the bacon is done cooking, carefully remove it from the microwave and dab it with a paper towel, but let it in the bowl, and if there is some bacon grease don't worry you can just use that because I always do (another insider's tip)
- Combine 1/2 the bacon crumbles with the jalapeno pepper, then stir to combine.
- Add the cream cheese, Mexican Cheese, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and smoke sauce into the jalapeno bacon popper mixture, and optionally add in the chipotle powder and salt and pepper if you have opted to use those ingredients.
- Stir vigorously, you'll really need to mix in the ingredients so that the flavor is balanced and consistent, so stir as you mean it. (optionally, but requires cleaning another appliance, you could use a food processor or blender to combine)
- For reference then, I simply make sure the mixture will roll into a ball inside the bowl, and then if it does I continue working with it and I add the remaining bacon crumbles and place it on a serving tray.
- Now that you have created your spicy cheese ball, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, just enough to firm up the bacon and jalapeno cheddar cream cheese mixture.
- To make a football-shaped bacon jalapeno popper cheese ball instead refer to the notes below*
- Remove the bacon-loaded double cheese popper ball from the fridge and it's time to prep it to serve.
- Decorate with chives pieces if you like
- Load that serving platter with pita chips, or crunchy flat pretzel crisps, cauliflower pieces, celery, radishes, zucchini strips, pepper sticks, or anything that dips well.
- Enjoy!
Notes
I've made this recipe so many times I could literally make it blindfolded, and I've never refrigerated this before I've shaped it, but you can for up to 10 minutes if for some reason you let your cream cheese get too soft or if the bacon was too hot and made everything really creamy (yes been there, done that!)
For reference then, I simply make sure the mixture will roll into a ball inside the bowl, and then if it does I continue working with it and I add the remaining bacon crumbles and place it on a serving tray.
*ALTERNATIVE DIRECTIONS TO MAKE A FOOTBALL-SHAPED JALAPENO CHEESE BALL INSTEAD OF A PLAIN CHEESE BALL SHAPE
Transfer the ball to the oval, shallow-rimmed dish or whatever serving platter you are using, then flatten it slightly by pushing on the ball and forming it into a football shape.
Next, add the bacon pieces heavy across the top and sides by hand by depressing them slightly into the top and side as you want to create the look of a brown football and the bacon fits the color perfectly! (remember to see the alternative amount of bacon crumbles in the recipe card as it is a bit more than the basic round spicy bacon cheese ball)
Add your cheese strips down the middle to create the illusion of white strings on the football and you can add those white lines at the end of both sides even though in the NFL they don't have them, it does give the visual effect of a football to truly define your food art!
Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, just enough to firm up the bacon and jalapeno cheddar cream cheese mixture.
Remove the football-shaped jalapeno popper cheese ball from the fridge and it's time to prep it to serve.
Load that serving platter with pita chips, or crunchy flat pretzel crisps, cauliflower pieces, celery, radishes, zucchini strips, pepper sticks, or anything that dips well. Enjoy!
With roots in Sicily and Rome, Dana combines her family’s culinary heritage with her experience as a travel writer and chef to create authentic Italian recipes. Drawing from time in Italy, cherished Nonna’s recipes, and her expertise with modern kitchen appliances, she simplifies traditional Italian cooking. Dana’s approach keeps the authentic flavors and tastes intact, offering easy yet genuine Italian dishes for everyday cooking.
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