Bacon and Chives Cheese Balls

5 from 9 votes

This creamy and delicious mini cheese balls recipe, packed with bacon and chives, is the perfect no-bake appetizer for all your gatherings.

Prep Time1 30

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon and chives cheese balls, cheese and bacon balls, mini cheese balls

Servings: cheese balls

Mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, 1 tablespoon of chopped chives, garlic, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper; mix until well blended and smooth. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the fridge; lightly grease hands with cooking spray and form 18 small cheese balls.
Pop back into the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In a shallow dish, combine the chopped bacon and chopped chives.
Insert a pretzel stick on each cheese ball and roll the balls in the bacon and chives mixture.
If not serving right away, keep them in the fridge.
Take the cheese balls out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Cream Cheese: This recipe works with any cream cheese, including Neufchatel cheese.
Shredded Cheese: I like to use Mexican cheese blend for this recipe, but any sharp cheese mixture will do.
Garlic: If you'd like to use garlic powder, you'll need about 1/8 teaspoon or to taste.
Bacon: I've made this recipe using regular and turkey bacon, and both options work. I also experimented with bacon bits; although the flavor was somewhat more intense, the recipe still turned out great.
Grease your hands. Lightly spray your hands with cooking spray so the cheese mixture doesn’t stick to your hands when shaping the balls.