Description
Creamy jalapeño popper football cheese ball delights game-day crowds with its zesty blend of cream cheese, cheddar, and spicy peppers. Served with crackers, this crowd-pleasing appetizer scores big at parties and delivers a spicy touchdown of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz/450 g cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups/150 g shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup/60 g shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 2 jalapenos, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- ½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 piece of string cheese (for football laces)
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Sliced veggies (carrots, celery, bell peppers)
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine cream cheese, cheddar, Monterey Jack, bacon, jalapenos, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in a large mixing bowl, blending thoroughly until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Chilling Phase: Refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes to firm up and allow flavors to meld together.
- Sculpting: Transfer the chilled mixture onto a serving platter, carefully shaping it into a football-like form using gentle hand motions or a spatula.
- Decorating: Generously coat the entire surface with bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar, and chopped parsley, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Detailing: Slice string cheese into thin strips and arrange across the cheese ball to create authentic football lacing.
- Final Chill: Refrigerate for at least one hour to solidify the structure and intensify the flavors.
- Serving: Present the cheese ball with an array of crackers, pretzels, or vegetable sticks for dipping and enjoying.
Notes
- Chill for Flavor Fusion: Refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes to help ingredients blend seamlessly and develop a richer taste profile.
- Shape with Precision: Use gentle hand motions or a spatula to create a clean football shape, ensuring an attractive presentation that mimics the classic sports ball design.
- Bacon Coverage Technique: Press bacon crumbles evenly across the surface to guarantee every bite has a consistent crunch and smoky flavor.
- Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare the cheese ball up to 24 hours in advance, allowing flavors to deepen and making party prep stress-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 353 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg