Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball with Bacon and Green Onions

Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

This cheddar ranch cheese ball is creamy enough to spread on a cracker but firm enough to hold a rounded shape. Cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and dry ranch seasoning form the base; bacon and green onions add savory flavor and visible flecks.

The mix-ins go inside the ball, with no exterior coating to hide them. Shape the soft mixture in plastic wrap, then chill it until it can be unwrapped without slumping. It makes one large cheese ball that can be prepared ahead and served with round crackers.

Ingredients for Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) full-fat cream cheese, softened (about 450g)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 225g)
• 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, completely cooled, and crumbled
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• About 8 ounces round savory crackers, for serving (about 225g)

Yield: One large cheese ball; 12 appetizer servings. Prep time: 20 minutes, using cooked bacon. Chill time: 1 to 2 hours. Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes, plus any time needed to soften the cream cheese.

How to Make a Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

1. Prepare the ingredients: Let the cream cheese soften until it yields easily to a spoon. Check that the cooked bacon is cool to the touch, then crumble it and finely chop the green onions.
2. Mix the base: In a medium bowl, stir or beat the cream cheese with the dry ranch seasoning until evenly combined, with no streaks of seasoning.
3. Fold in the mix-ins: Add the cheddar, bacon, and green onions. Fold until they are distributed throughout, leaving the pieces visible rather than blending the mixture smooth.
4. Shape and chill: Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Gather the wrap around it and gently shape one large, slightly rustic ball. Refrigerate it wrapped for 1 to 2 hours. Start checking after 1 hour; it is ready when it holds its shape after unwrapping. If it slumps, rewrap it and chill longer.
5. Serve: Unwrap the cheese ball and set it on a platter without adding a coating. Arrange the round crackers alongside it and serve chilled.

How to Keep the Cheese Ball Rounded

Soften the cream cheese for even mixing, then use the plastic wrap to shape the sticky mixture without pressing the visible mix-ins into a smooth surface. Chill the wrapped ball until it holds together on the platter; firmness matters more than an exact number of minutes.

Ranch Seasoning and Mix-Ins

Use dry ranch seasoning mix, not bottled ranch dressing, which would add liquid to the base. Ranch dip mix may be seasoned differently, so check the package. Cool the cooked bacon completely before folding it in so it does not warm the cheese mixture.

Ranch seasoning and bacon vary in saltiness. Taste the mixed cheese before adding any extra salt; none is included in the recipe. For a nut-coated alternative, try the classic cheese ball with pecans.

Make Ahead and Storage

Shape and wrap the cheese ball up to 2 days ahead, and keep it refrigerated until serving. Set out the crackers when you serve it so they stay crisp.

Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator. If the bacon and green onions were fresh when added, the cheese ball may keep for up to 4 to 5 days, though its keeping time depends on their freshness.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per appetizer serving, including 1/12 of the cheese ball and crackers: 325 calories, 10g protein, 26g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 385 calories, 12g protein, 30g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Values vary with the bacon, ranch seasoning, and crackers used.