Description

This Everything Bagel Cheeseball is a delightful, savory appetizer perfect for gatherings. Creamy cream cheese and sour cream blend with sharp cheddar, horseradish, scallions, and crispy bacon, then coated in a flavorful Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend for a crunchy exterior. Serve it with bagel chips or crackers for a crowd-pleasing snack that’s easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheeseball Mixture

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 scallions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

Coating

About 1/2 cup Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend*

Serving

Bagel chips and/or crackers

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Instructions

Mix the Base: In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, prepared horseradish, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, and cooked, chopped bacon. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated into a smooth, cohesive mixture.
Chill the Mixture: Shape the mixture into a compact ball. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to maintain shape and refrigerate for at least one hour. Chilling helps the flavors meld and the cheeseball to firm up for easier handling.
Coat with Seasoning: After chilling, unwrap the cheeseball and roll it thoroughly in the Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend so that it is evenly coated on all sides, providing a crunchy and flavorful crust.
Optional Decoration: For a festive touch, you can add a real or faux pumpkin stem to the top to make the cheeseball resemble a pumpkin. Use the tip of a chopstick or the back of a butter knife to gently create grooves around the ball’s surface to mimic a pumpkin’s ridges.
Serve: Present the cheeseball on a serving platter alongside bagel chips and crackers for dipping. Enjoy immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Notes

You can make your own Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend by combining equal parts dehydrated onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and garlic flakes. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste for that authentic flavor.
Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to ensure easy mixing and a smooth texture.
Cook bacon until crisp for the best texture in the cheeseball.
For best flavor, chill the cheeseball for at least an hour, but it can be refrigerated overnight.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8th of cheeseball with chips
Calories: 220
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 480 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg