Spicy Bacon Cheese Bites (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Cheese Mixture
01 -
8 oz softened cream cheese
02 -
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
03 -
½ cup grated pepper jack cheese
04 -
2 tbsp sour cream
05 -
4 strips crispy bacon, broken into bits
06 -
2 jalapeños, finely diced (without seeds and membranes)
07 -
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
08 -
½ tsp smoky paprika
09 -
½ tsp salt
10 -
¼ tsp ground black pepper
→ Coating
11 -
½ cup smashed Ritz crackers or panko crumbs
12 -
½ cup crispy bacon pieces
13 -
1 tbsp fresh cut parsley
14 -
1 tbsp snipped chives
→ Optional Garnishes
15 -
Thin jalapeño cuts
16 -
More parsley or chives
→ For Serving
17 -
Crackers, corn chips, or raw veggie sticks
# How to Make It:
01 -
Grab a big bowl and throw in your softened cream cheese with both the grated cheddar and pepper jack. Stir them all together until smooth. Add your sour cream, bacon bits, diced jalapeños, chopped garlic, smoky paprika, salt, and black pepper. Keep mixing until everything's well combined.
02 -
Take about 1½ tablespoons of your cheese mix and roll it between your palms to make a little ball. Do this with all your mix until you've got around 16 balls. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and stick them in the fridge for at least an hour to get firm.
03 -
In a flat dish, mix together your smashed crackers, bacon pieces, parsley, and chives. Stir everything up so it's all evenly distributed.
04 -
Take your chilled cheese balls out of the fridge. Roll each one in your coating mix, gently pressing so the coating sticks well all around.
05 -
Put your coated cheese balls on a nice plate. Top with some jalapeño slices or extra herbs if you want them to look fancy. Serve them right away with your choice of crackers, chips, or veggies.