Tailgate like a champion! This Bacon Cheddar Football Cheese Ball is sure to make a touchdown at your next game day party!
When it comes to game day snackage, I like to keep things simple. Whether we’re entertaining a party of two or twenty, the snack options are always the same: cheese plates, cheesy dips, cheesier nachos, and the cheesiest of cheese balls. Notice a theme?
They’re all EASY!
Okay AND cheesy. My addiction is no secret.
Let’s party!
Bacon Cheddar Football Cheese Ball
Today’s recipe is for the cheeseball of my dreams.
A cheeseball that I’ve festively shaped into a football to appease the touchdown gods…
Don’t let looks deceive you, this impressive snack is so easy you’ll be plotting ways to make this your default appetizer for every future occasion.
Tailgate Party? Football cheese ball!
Your team went to the championship? Football cheese ball!
Baby shower? FOOTBALL CHEESE BALL!
Ok so that last one might have been a wee bit out of place. To each their own.
Whatever you do, whip up this easy peasy cheese ball for your next shindig and get ready to faceplant.
Bacon Cheddar Football Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz medium or sharp cheddar grated
- 1/4-1/3 cup chopped green onion divided
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup finely chopped almonds
- 4 slices crispy cooked bacon
- 1 slice mozzarella cheese
SERVE WITH
- assorted pretzels
- assorted veggie sticks
- apple slices
- buttery crackers
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cheddar, salt, garlic powder, and 2-3 TBSP chopped green onion.
- Using a hand mixer, or food processor, whip the cream cheese mixture until fluffy.
- Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and add your cream cheese mixture, pressing it into the bowl while you roll into a plastic-wrapped ball (your hands stay cleanish this way, but feel free to skip the plastic and get messy!)
- Place the cheeseball on a flat surface and shape into a football. You’ll want to press down on the middle and sort of pinch the sides while you press it into an edible football. I promise it’s super duper easy, relive those play dough days and have fun with it!
- If cheese ball is too soft, cover with plastic and pop it in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. You can even make this part in advance and chill overnight. Mine was still firm yet soft enough to coat with toppings so I went with it.
- Sprinkle/cover with chopped almonds, the remaining green onion, and bacon and press firmly into the cheeseball to coat.
- For the laces, snag a slice of mozzarella cheese (though you can also use a slice from a large square of mozz as well as a cheese stick) and use a sharpened knife to cut it into thin slices. Cut one long slice for the center of the football and smaller slices for the laces. Place the long slice horizontally along the center of the football, then arrange the small slices horizontally on top. Again, super simple and you can basically use any cheese you’d like, if needed!
- Add all your favorite dippers from the list above and dig in!
- This cheese ball can stay room temperature for up to 4 hours before you need to pop it in the fridge. Leftovers taste deeeeeelicious spread on pretty much everything in sight the following day.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
favorite football foods
If you get a chance to try this Bacon Cheddar Football Cheese Ball, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Peace, love, and college football.
What team are you rooting for? Around here it’s Florida State all the way! GO NOLES!
Hungry for more? You’ve GOT to try this Jalapeño Popper Football Cheese Ball next!
more tasty tailgate-worthy game day eats
- Buffalo Ranch Football Cheese Ball <– love it so!
- Buffalo Shrimp Dip – YES!
- Dip it good! 11 Party-Perfect Game Day Dips <– more deeelish tailgate worthy dips
Questions & Reviews
Excellent recipe! Making this again on Sunday for the game.
This is the most popular food item at out college football tailgate. Every year everyone wants me to make this. It tastes as good as it looks😋
Ooooh yum!! These sound amazing! I love the flavor of those smokehouse almonds… and… you really can’t go wrong with cheese and bacon! ?
How many will recipe serve?
Hey Janelle! The recipe should serve 30 or so, depending on how fast everyone faceplants into it 🙂
Wow, how good does this look!? Well done Jenn! If I saw this at a Game Day party, I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else 😛
This looks absolutely delicious! Stumbled, yummed and scheduled to pin! 🙂
You rock! Thanks Annie!
Oh wow, that’s gorgeous! I want to just dive in headfirst!
haha it’s hard not to! 🙂
How fun! Love the idea of cheese in a football shape!
I know myself well enough, that if I made this, I would most certainly eat it all myself. I would not share.
Haha! Sharing is hard to do when it comes to food, I’m totally possessive over my snacks 😉
Wow! That bacon cheddar football cheese ball is the cutest thing ever! Blue Diamond’s Smokehouse almonds are my favorite. I could finish a container all by myself 🙂
This is amazing! I love cheesy snacks! It will definitely be a hit in our house! Thanks for sharing, Jenn!
Haha. This at a baby shower would be fun. Just to see the reactions. 😉 And I’m loving these pictures. Especially the second one! So pretty. I’ve never tried Blue Diamond’s Smokehouse Almonds but I now I really want to try finding them!
Oh heavens! This is the perfect game day snack. I’m pretty sure I might have to eat it all myself though 🙂
I am definitely making this for our superbowl party. So fun! Pinning now.
Such a FUN idea! I love this and I’l have to try it out at my next football party!
It’ll be a total hit! Thanks Megan!
I love this!! I’m a huge football fan and this is perfect for a Sunday Funday party!
This is adorable! What a clever idea.
Thanks Kathy!
Omgosh, this is just the cutest idea I’ve seen. Our family would love this for game day!
Thanks Jessica! Hope y’all get a chance to try it!
I love the football presentation…. and a cheeseball with bacon? Brilliant!! Love it!
Thanks Michele! It was SO easy to shape it too! 🙂
Any cheese based dip is good with me, so this makes me very happy. It looks delicious.
Haha I’m the same way Dannii! Cheese is pretty much it’s own food group over here!
Yum! This looks awesome! My mom always use to make a cheese ball when we had lots of guests over and I looooooved it. I can’t believe I’ve never made one. I have to say my mom never coated hers in bacon though. And those almonds sound amazing too! Must try!
If your mom makes you cheese balls that’s total love right there 🙂 You’ve totally got to keep her entertaining tradition alive! With bacon! And almonds! And alllllll the cheese! I probably shouldn’t have had that second cup of coffee 😉
This is so cute! All of that nutty and bacon goodness on top looks so yummy too!
Thanks Rachel! The topping is sooooo addictive! I could not stop spreading it on everything in sight 🙂
I love it ? So clever and delicious looking. Perfect treat for the game. Thanks for sharing ?
Thanks Lyndsay!
THE CUTEST THING EVER! I love those smokehouse almonds and I bet they were extra delicious in this!
They were soooooo delicious! Thanks Amanda! <3
This recipe is a total hit!!! Thanks Jenn for sharing!
Thanks so much Sandra!
Sandra made this for us to try during the Dolphins game on Sunday. I felt I should drop by to let you know that the football cheese ball was as good as the Dolphins were horrible, and that’s saying a lot! Well done on this one, just please don’t give her any ideas for a replacement to my beer…
Haha I’ll take it! <3
This is such a fun and tasty snack recipe for game day! 🙂 I LOVE Blue Diamond’s Smokehouse Almonds- so good! And gorgeous photos!
Thanks Carrie!
Yep! Perfect for watching a big game. Looks delicious! Nice touch using almonds.
Thanks so much Renee! The almonds add the best smoky crunch!
Wow! This is such an amazing tailgating dish. All that cheese! Yum. I would have never thought of adding almonds but it sounds delicious! I definitely need to try that.
Thanks Erin!
All that bacon! All that cheese! All those nuts and scallions! This must taste incredible!
Thanks Sharon! It’s SO GOOD!
My family would FLIP over this! I absolutely love it and I love your little remark in the recipe on the faceplanting! LOL I would SO do that!
Cheese balls are the absolute *BEST* football food! I love, love, love how easy this recipe is, and the smoked Blue Diamond almonds are my absolute fav! Pairing them w/ cheese is such a brilliant idea. This recipe is going to become a staple for us on game day (and Sunday nights for The Walking Dead) fo sho!
Yay!!!! *cue happy dance* Thanks Amber! <3
I like the way you snack, lady! And that cheeseball is perfection…I would have no trouble getting into the game if I could munch on that! 😉
Thanks Faith! <3 We can totally sneak away and watch food network while snacking on this 😉 I won't tell!
I feel strange saying this looks cute, but it does!! Almost makes me wish I was a sports fan, but I can always make it for my sport-crazy family!
Thanks Kacey! Haha not to worry – all you have to be is a food fan!
this is such a fabulous idea Jenn! You can’t go wrong with a cheeseball as a crowd-pleasing appetizer, especially when it contains BACON! is it acceptable to just eat this by the spoonful? 🙂
Haha thanks Rachel! I may or may not have spooned it into my face on a few occasions. #shhhhh