3ouncesbacon bitsor cooked and finely crumbled bacon
Instructions
Place the cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, parsley, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula until blended.
Freeze the mixture for 15 minutes. Shape the mixture into 12 balls, using a measuring tablespoon to scoop them out of the bowl.
Roll the balls in the bacon bits to coat them.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove the balls from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
I use a heaping measuring tablespoon and get 12 cheese balls. You can make them smaller if you'd like.
These cheese balls are quite spicy. If you don’t like spicy food, use just ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Freezing the mixture briefly before shaping the cheese balls makes it much easier to shape them. It's best to freeze the mixture in a shallow layer so that it sets evenly. Even so, you can expect the edges to be harder than the center. Even after freezing the mixture, shaping the balls is a bit messy, so you can wear food-grade disposable gloves if you wish.
You can store the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. They keep well and taste great even on the fourth day. Remember to take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving them to allow them to get to room temperature. Some foods, such as cheese and chocolate, are best at room temperature.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Start by placing them on a parchment-lined large sheet or tray. Place them in the freezer for 1-2 hours until frozen, then transfer them to a freezer bag. You can keep them in the freezer for up to three months.