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Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

Cheddar ranch cheese ball with a creamy, orange cheddar interior rolled in chopped pecans, crispy bacon, and parsley. Chill for 2 hours for a firm slice-and-scoop texture, then serve with crackers and pretzels.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling + resting 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cream cheese, softened
  • 16 oz cream cheese
Shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Ranch seasoning packet
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning
Green onions
  • 2 green onions finely sliced
Cooked bacon
  • 6 bacon cooked and finely crumbled
Pecans
  • 0.75 cup pecans finely chopped
Fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Crackers and pretzels for serving
  • 1 crackers and pretzels for serving

Method
 

Mix the cheese base
  1. Beat cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, ranch seasoning, and green onions until well combined, scraping the sides as needed for an even orange mixture.
Chill to firm
  1. Shape the mixture into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours until firm.
Coat with bacon-pecan topping
  1. Combine bacon, pecans, and parsley on a plate, then press the chilled ball into the coating so it sticks on all sides.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the cheese ball sit for 10 minutes at room temperature so it softens slightly, then serve with crackers and pretzels.

Notes

For the cleanest coating, keep the cheese ball cold until the moment you roll it, then press firmly so the pecans and bacon adhere. Store wrapped in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Freeze is not recommended because the cheddar and cream cheese can release moisture when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat shredded cheddar (the texture will be slightly softer).