Crushed pineapple, smoky bacon, and plenty of cheese come together to make a sweet and savory Pineapple Bacon Cheese Ball that’s hard to resist! Serve it with your favorite crackers for an appetizer during the holidays, at parties, or anytime you want to jazz up cocktail hour.
Make entertaining easy with my Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball, Cheddar,  Chive Cheese Ball, or Easy Mini Cheese Balls.
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Whether I’m hosting a party or heading to a last-minute get-together, I’ve got a recipe that always makes me look like a rock star: my Pineapple Bacon Cheese Ball. It’s a little sweet, a little salty, and packed with flavor. Best of all? I can throw it together in no time, and it’s always the “wow, that’s good” dish on the table!
What Makes This Cheese Ball Totally Irresistible
- Flavor Explosion in Every Bite: Sweet pineapple meets smoky bacon wrapped in creamy, cheesy goodness for the perfect sweet-and-salty combo.
- Ridiculously Easy to Make: Seriously, all you have to do is cook some bacon, mix a few ingredients, and boom—you’ve got a holiday cheese ball that looks like you spent hours on it (but didn’t!)
- Instant Party Hit: Whether it’s a laid-back weekend hangout or a holiday party, this easy cheese ball appetizer always steals the show.
Pineapple Bacon Cheese Ball Ingredients
- Cheesy and Creamy: I start with softened cream cheese and freshly shredded cheddar. Trust me, shredding your own cheese makes all the difference in flavor!
- Sweet, Salty, and Fresh: Crushed pineapple brings a hint of sweetness, crispy bacon adds irresistible saltiness, and a handful of chopped chives gives it a fresh pop of flavor.
- Simple Seasonings: I keep it classic with just Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. It’s all you need to let those bold flavors shine.
- Flavorful Coating: Roll the cheese ball in chopped pecans and fresh parsley to give it a beautiful, crunchy coating that makes the perfect finishing touch.
Recipe Variations
- Nut Alternatives: You can swap the Southern pecans for roasted macadamia nuts, almonds or walnuts.
- Cream Cheese Options: Feel free to use any fat-percentage cream cheese you like. You can also use a flavored one like chives and onion, but sometimes it can be a bit too salty, so you’ll want to taste and adjust how much salt you add.
- Worcestershire Swap: You can use low-sodium soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce.
Step By Step Directions
- Prepare: Drain the crushed pineapple so that the cheese ball still holds together. Next, chop the chives and cooked bacon. Also, make sure the cream cheese is soft enough to mix.
- Mix It All Up: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. I like to do this with a hand mixer to achieve the perfect, creamy texture.
- Shape It: Form the cheese mixture into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge.
Donya’s #1 Success Tip For Rolling A Cheese Ball
I’ve found the best way to have a nice, even coating on a cheese ball is to make sure you’ve got extra chopped ingredients to roll it in. Place the chopped pecans and parsley on a dinner plate, then roll your nicely shaped cheese ball around and around until coated. Press the coating into the cheese ball a bit also so that you’ll get pecans and parsley in every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep, you sure can. You can make the cheese ball up to 3 days in advance. Make the cheese ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, then store it in a ziptop bag or airtight container. Before serving, roll it in the pecan parsley topping.
Once the cheese ball is served, it’s best to keep it out for no more than 2 hours.
Normally, yes; however, because this cheese ball has pineapple, it doesn’t freeze well and will get watery. If you do freeze it, do so without the pecan coating. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight, and then roll it in pecans and parsley.
Serving And Party Appetizer Ideas
I love keeping things classic with a variety of crackers along with something sweet like grapes and apples and Roasted Nuts for crunchiness. This cheese ball is perfect for entertaining with Crock Pot Bourbon Meatballs, Honey Garlic Shrimp and Pimento Cheese Bites.
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More Appetizers You’ll Love!
If you tried this Pineapple Bacon Cheese Ball Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce blocks of softened cream cheese
- 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
- ½ cup cooked chopped bacon
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a medium-size bowl. Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, mix until blended well. Divide mixture in half and form into balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
- Before serving, coat cheese ball with chopped pecans and parsley.
Notes
- Cheese ball can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, then roll in chopped pecans and parsley then serve.
Notes
- Nut Alternatives: You can swap the Southern pecans for roasted macadamia nuts, almonds or walnuts.
- Cream Cheese Options: Feel free to use any fat-percentage cream cheese you like. You can also use a flavored one like chives and onion, but sometimes it can be a bit too salty, so you’ll want to taste and adjust how much salt you add.
- Worcestershire Swap: You can use low-sodium soy sauce in place of Worcestershire sauce.
Nutrition
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Susan
This sounds tasty! Thank you for the recipe.
Whether you’ve got a party of one, so or more, THIS cheese has to served.