Cheese Ball Bites Recipe

4.89 from 26 votes

Cheese Ball Bites Recipe

Cheese Ball Bites are easy party appetizers with cream cheese, cheddar, garlic salt, bacon, pecans, chives, and pretzel sticks.

Prep Time10

Refrigerate1

Total Time1 10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: balls

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, (do not use pre-shredded cheese)
1 teaspoon garlic salt, with parsley flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
black pepper, freshly ground
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
⅓ cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup chives, chopped
18 pretzel sticks

Instructions

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic salt, paprika, and pepper.
Use a cookie scoop to form 14 mini balls from the cream cheese mixture and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a shallow dish, mix chopped bacon, pecans, and chives.
Roll cream cheese balls into this mixture, then insert a pretzel stick into the top of each ball.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature until soft enough to mix easily. This helps prevent lumps in the cheese mixture.
Freshly shred the cheddar instead of using pre-shredded cheese for the best texture.
Small pieces of bacon and pecans stick better than large chunks and make the bites easier to coat.
Chill the cheese balls for at least 1 hour before rolling so they are firm enough to coat.
Finely chop the bacon, pecans, and chives so the coating sticks evenly.
Use a cookie scoop to help make evenly sized portions that look neat on a serving platter.
These Cheese Ball Bites are easy to add to a holiday appetizer tray, game day spread, or party snack board. Serve them on a platter with crackers, fresh vegetables, and other easy appetizers. The pretzel sticks make them simple to grab, but you can also serve the cheese balls with toothpicks if you prefer.

Make ahead of time. Prepare these up to 8 hours before you plan to serve them. Simply follow the recipe, and cover the cheese balls with plastic wrap. Before serving, remove from the fridge and add pretzel sticks.

Store. Remove the pretzel sticks before storing. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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