Football Cheese Ball Recipe
This easy football cheese ball is the ultimate game day appetizer. Creamy, cheesy, and coated in bacon and pecans—perfect for parties and tailgates.
Servings: 8
Calories: 360kcal
Ingredients
For the Cheese Ball
- 2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded old cheddar cheese
- ½ cup diced pickled jalapeños
- 2 tablespoon chopped chives
- ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder
- Dash of hot sauce optional
For the Coating
- 1 cup pulverized unsalted pecans
- ½ cup pulverized bacon bits
- Havarti or mozzarella cheese for the laces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cheese ball ingredients.
- Place the cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Cover and form into the football shape. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Blitz the pecans and bacon bits in a food processor. Dump onto a large plate and mix them together. Roll the cheese ball in the coating, carefully pressing it in.
- Slice the havarti or mozzarella cheese into a few rectangles and place on top of the cheese ball to form the laces.
- Allow the cheese ball to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for optimal texture. Serve with crackers, pretzels, pita chips, and veggies!
Notes
- You can make the cheese ball a day ahead of time. Store in the fridge and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before you plan to serve it.
- You can use any type of crackers you like. You could also spread the cheese ball on sliced cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, etc.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 1mg