Buffalo Bacon Cheese Ball (Amazing Dip Recipe)

Now that the holiday season is behind us, and we’re done roasting turkeys, mashing potatoes and sipping on bubbly, the next chapter of winter is upon us – the Super bowl! I, like so many others enjoy the Super Bowl for reasons other than the actual game itself.

I love it because it’s yet another excuse to gather with friends and family, and allow ourselves to unapologetically eat copious amounts of finger foods – as if we haven’t had enough of that in the last three months.

Now that the holiday season is behind us, and we’re done roasting turkeys, mashing potatoes and sipping on bubbly, the next chapter of winter is upon us – the Super bowl! I, like so many others enjoy the Super Bowl for reasons other than the actual game itself.

I love it because it’s yet another excuse to gather with friends and family, and allow ourselves to unapologetically eat copious amounts of finger foods – as if we haven’t had enough of that in the last three months.

Now that the holiday season is behind us, and we’re done roasting turkeys, mashing potatoes and sipping on bubbly, the next chapter of winter is upon us – the Super bowl! I, like so many others enjoy the Super Bowl for reasons other than the actual game itself.

I love it because it’s yet another excuse to gather with friends and family, and allow ourselves to unapologetically eat copious amounts of finger foods – as if we haven’t had enough of that in the last three months.

While most buffalo dips are of the chicken variety, I didn’t have any on hand, so I swapped out the chicken for crispy, salty bacon, and let me tell you, that impromptu change in ingredients, paid off enormously – if there’s anything that can make buffalo dip better, it’s got to be bacon, right?

The base starts off with a mixture of softened (low-fat) cream cheese and creamy gorgonzola that’s whipped together in a mini food processor, of course if you like large pieces of blue cheese in each bite, you can just mix the two ingredients by hand.

The only reason I use the processor is because Kevin doesn’t love how potent blue cheese tends to be on its own, but does really enjoy the subtle tanginess it gives the overall mixture.

Once those two ingredients are mixed together, green onion, copious amount of crispy (center cut) bacon and of course, the star ingredient, hot sauce is gently folded in until everything is evenly distributed and combined.

The mixture is then transferred onto a big piece of plastic wrap, molded into a ball and popped into the fridge until it’s once again solidified (which takes about an hour or so). If you have a little bit of trouble forming it into ball, place the plastic wrap in a small, round bowl and transfer the dip into the bowl.

You can then fold the sides of the wrap on top, and pop it in the fridge. Once it’s chilled sufficiently, just pull the whole ball out of the bowl and invert onto your platter.

Once I’m ready to serve, I remove the plastic wrap from the dip, and cover it in an even mixture of sliced green onion and more crispy bacon.

If you’re making this ahead of time, which you absolutely can do (up to three days in advance), just keep the ball chilled until just a few minutes before serving, and THEN cover with the sliced green onion and bacon, otherwise, the bacon will lose that crispy texture.

The perfect Super Bowl appetizer that will leave your guests begging for more!

Buffalo Bacon Cheese Ball

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Nicole Leggio

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 2- 8 ounce packages light cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup creamy gorgonzola cheese, softened
• ½ cup Frank's red hot sauce
• 8 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
• 6 green onions, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crackers for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl or mini food processor combine cream cheese and blue cheese. Fold in half of the bacon and half of the green onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Place the mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball or circle. Chill for 1-2 hours.
3. Once ready to serve, mix the remaining green onion and bacon together. Pat onto cheese ball.
4. Serve with crackers.

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