I Made The Pioneer Woman’s Cheese Ball Recipe—and It’s Perfect for Every Party

Fans of Ree Drummond’s Food Network show The Pioneer Woman know that in addition to having a big family to feed, she loves having people over for holidays and get-togethers. Naturally, she’s is well-known for plenty of potluck foods, like her fab million dollar dip and simple chili recipe. Inspired by our previous luck with Ree’s methods, I decided to test an app she swears by, one with a retro feel: the Pioneer Woman cheese ball recipe!

It’s loaded with cheddar and ranch and looks so pretty with a coat of diced bacon and bright-green scallions. It comes together so quickly, and then all you have to do is add some crackers.

The Pioneer Woman’s Cheese Ball Recipe

Nancy Mock for taste of Home, Getty Images

Ree Drummond’s Bacon-Ranch Cheese Ball serves 8-10 people. Allow at least one hour to chill before serving.

Ingredients

Nancy Mock for Taste of home

• 8 slices smoked bacon, cooked and drained, divided
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese, cubed
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated white cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (about half of a 1-ounce packet)
• 5 scallions, white parts finely chopped and green parts, thinly sliced
• Cooking spray
• Crackers, for serving

Editor’s Tip: Here are three ways to cook bacon quickly.

Directions

Step 1: Blend ingredients together

Add two slices of cooked bacon, the softened cream cheese, grated cheddar, sour cream, ranch seasoning and scallion whites to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse and then run the processor on low speed until everything is well blended. (If you don’t have a food processor, dice the bacon and then mash everything together in a bowl using a fork.)

Step 2: Prepare the coating

Finely chop the remaining six pieces of bacon. Toss the bacon bits together with the sliced scallion greens on a large, shallow plate. Spread the mixture out into an even layer on the plate.

Step 3: Shape and coat the cheese ball

Scoop the cheese mixture into a small bowl. Spray your hands with a thin coating of cooking spray, then shape the cheese mixture into a ball. Place the cheese ball on the plate with the bacon and scallions; roll the ball all around the plate to coat it with a layer of bacon and scallions. Use your fingers to pick up leftover bits from the plate and press them into place on the cheese ball.

Step 4: Chill, then serve

Place the coated cheese ball in the center of a serving plate, and cover the plate with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cheese ball for at least one hour or up to eight hours.

Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Arrange crackers all around the cheese ball, add a small cheese knife to the plate and serve along with Pioneer Woman’s taco soup.

Here’s What I Thought

Nancy Mock for taste of Home

It’s been years since I made a cheese ball appetizer. I’ve been missing out! This recipe is fantastic.

You can’t go wrong with the flavor combination of bacon, cheddar, ranch and onion; it’s so delicious in a cheese spread. My family loved it as a midday snack and I’m planning to make another cheese ball for company this weekend.

Let’s bring these other ’70s-era party apps back, too!

How to Make It Your Own

Once you’ve made The Pioneer Woman cheese ball recipe as written, give it your own twist. Swap out the ranch seasoning for onion soup mix or spice blends like “everything bagel” or garlic and herb. Or make a taco-inspired cheese ball with taco seasoning, diced jalapeno and grated pepper jack cheese.