How To Make A Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball Appetizer For Parties
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Party appetizer ideas don’t get much better than this! Add this Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball to your party menu this holiday season and wow your guests with flavor!
Ready in just 30 minutes and using an array of herbs and spices, this dish will be the talk of the town!
This post is part of Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) – a series of festive recipes, crafts, printables, and more on The Purple Pumpkin Blog!
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Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball
The full ingredients list and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and understand the steps and timings involved.
Are you throwing a party and looking for show-stopping appetizers to serve? Then you’ve got to try our Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball—a crowd-pleaser packed with Tex-Mex flavors like chipotle, paprika, oregano, and jalapeño for a smoky, spicy kick.
Cheese balls are always a hit at gatherings, and there are many fun ways to make them your own. Why not try our Reindeer Cheese Ball for a festive twist for the holidays?
If you’re after something a little more savory, a classic Ham Cheese Ball might be right up your alley. Or, for a touch of sweetness, our Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Log is a guaranteed hit.
For a bit of Thanksgiving or Christmas fun, this Turkey Cheeseball will be a bit hit with kids!
The beauty of these recipes is how easily they can be customized for your party. So whether you’re craving bold Tex-Mex flavors or something more seasonal, there’s a cheese ball for everyone!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Protein – Bacon
- Fresh Produce – Jalapeño Pepper
- Dairy – Cream Cheese, Mexican-Blend Cheese
- Smoked Paprika
- Dried Oregano – use Mexican oregano if you can find it
- Chipotle Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Crackers or Vegetable Crudite – to serve
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Bacon
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is Bacon, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Roasted Broccoli and Bacon Salad with Raisins & Yogurt Dressing
- Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon – Party Appetizer Recipe
- Pancakes and Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting for Brunch!
How Do I Make Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball ?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball Appetizer
Ingredients
- 8 thick-cut slices of bacon
- ½ large jalapeño pepper finely minced, divided
- 8 oz 225g cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup Mexican-blend cheese finely shredded
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Crackers and/or vegetables to serve
Instructions
- Line a large plate with paper towels and place 4 slices of bacon on top. Cover with additional paper towels. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Remove from microwave and discard paper towels. Repeat process with additional paper towels and remaining slices of bacon.
- Place the crispy bacon in a food processor and pulse briefly until roughly chopped. Transfer bacon crumbs to a large bowl, along with half the jalapeño pepper, and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining jalapeño pepper, cream cheese, Mexican cheese, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, chipotle powder, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir vigorously to combine.
- Transfer the cheese mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap and use the wrap to form the cheese mixture into a ball. (Refrigerate for 5-10, or if you want to make ahead, 4 hours to or overnight.)
- Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and gently roll in the bacon jalapeño mixture until thoroughly coated. Return to a serving dish and serve immediately with crackers and/or sliced vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Holiday Dinner!
You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a holiday dinner party!
- Soup: Hearty Minestrone Soup with Arugula
- Salad: How to Make Waldorf Salad – A Classic Fruit & Nut Salad
- Main Dish: Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
- Side Dish: Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes
- Beverage: Apple Cider Margarita
- Dessert: Macadamia & Cranberry Biscotti
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.