Christmas
Party Eats, Appetizers
Make the Perfect Football Cheese Ball Appetizer for Game Day
Get ready to score big points with your friends and family at your next game day gathering with this perfect football cheese ball!
This classic American party snack is a must-have for any football parties or game day get-togethers.
Shaped like a football and packed with the perfect flavor combination, this cheese ball not only tastes amazing but looks incredible too.
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Sometimes I just get inspired. I was looking and tons and tons of ugly cheese football appetizers and thought “I know I can do better than this!”. So I did.
My football-shaped cheese ball needed to look amazing and taste as good as it looked. And mostly, it needed to actually look like an American football!
It’s the perfect appetizer for football season, and believe me when I say it was a great hit at the Superbowl party we went to. Bacon is literally magic!
But it wasn’t just the bacon. The fact that I placed the football on a bed of chopped green onions made it look like it was right on the field and gave people the option of adding more onion to each bite.
The taste also has a Mexican flair with the spices from the taco mix and the Pepper Jack. This game day cheese ball also ends up quite large and is great to feed a crowd.
So, whether you’re a football fanatic, or just love to host a good party, this football cheese ball is sure to be the MVP of your spread.
It’s easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser, making it a must-have for any game day celebration.
It’s game time, and you’re ready to win with this delicious and impressive snack! Go, team!
Football Cheese Ball Step-by-Step Video
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For the cheese ball:
- 3 blocks of cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 4oz can diced green chile
- 1/2 cup crumbled crispy bacon or bacon bits (about 10oz of raw thick bacon cooked)
- 2 tsp of Taco mix
- 4 green onions
For the garnish:
- 3 packages of string cheese or slices of a white cheese
- The rest of the taco mix package
- A whole bunch of green onion stems
- Your choice of crackers
How to make a Football Shaped Cheese Ball
Dice your raw bacon and fry it until crispy. I used a thick bacon. You could use Bacon Bits, but bacon is just better.
Chop the 4 green onions then combine the cream cheese, pepper jack, green chile, cooked bacon, green onions, and 2 tsp of the taco mix in a large bowl of a food processor or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until well incorporated. You can also use a hand mixer.
Transfer the cream cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface, then place another sheet on top and wrap it.
Now use your hands to roll it and mold it into the famous oval shape of a football.
Once you have that perfect football shape, place your cheese ball in the fridge to harden a bit while you prepare your garnish.
Slice the string cheese sticks to make the football stripes. You’ll need
- 2 long flat strips for the 2 ends
- 4 shorter flat strips to finish the stripes on the ends
- 2 flat cheese pieces for the middle seam
- 6 thin flat pieces for the stitching
You can use white cheese slices, but I liked the length of the string cheese so I spent the time to cut flat slices from it.
Once that’s done, get your cheese ball out of the fridge and open the plastic wrap. Carefully shake the remaining taco mix on top of the cheese ball. You could use an extra taco seasoning mix packet if you wish.
Carefully place the string cheese on the football cheese ball to create the seam and stripes. I used a BBQ pick to help push the thin pieces of string cheese into the cheese just enough to create a seam effect.
Place the 2 long strands on each side of the cheese football. Add the shorter pieces on both sides of the stripe and cut to length to finish the look.
You will probably get some taco mix on top of your white cheese slices. Make sure to wipe it off with a small piece of wet paper towel.
Football Cheese Ball Presentation
Some people might stop here with their cheese footballs and just plate it. But I think the presentation of this football cheese ball is what makes it not only eye catching, but even more yummy.
The idea is to make the football look like it’s on the field. To do that, I chopped a whole bunch of green onion tails and filled my serving platter.
I then placed the football cheese ball right on top.
Now, green onion fans can add some more to every bite.
The contrast of the deep green and the orange football is amazing.
Now, grab your favorite crackers, veggies, or chips and get ready to dig into this delicious, savory snack.
I personally served my football cheese ball with Ritz Crackers.
With its winning combination of flavors and impressive appearance, your guests might just chase down your cheese ball like an errant fumble.
Get ready to elevate your next game day celebration and make memories with this ultimate football party snack!
Football Cheese Ball with Bacon
Ingredients
For the Cheese Ball:
- 3 blocks of cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 4 oz can diced green chile
- 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon or bacon bits about 10oz of raw thick bacon
- 2 tsp taco mix
- 4 green onions
For the Garnish:
- 3 packages of string cheese
- The rest of the Taco mix package
- A whole bunch of green onions greens
- Your choice of crackers
Instructions
Make the Cheese Ball
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Chop and cook the bacon.
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Chop the green onions.
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Place all the ingredients for the cheese ball in a bowl and mix.
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Place the cheese mixture on a large sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it.
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Use your hands to roll it and shape it into a football shape.
Decorate it like a Football
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Open the plastic wrap and carefully shake the remaining taco mix on top of the cheese. If you feel that’s not enough coverage, you can use a second taco seasoning mix packet if you wish.
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Slice the string cheese to make the football stripes. You'll need: 2 long flat stripes and 4 shorter ones for the 2 ends, 2 flat pieces for the middle seam, and 6 thin flat pieces for the stitching.
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Carefully place the string cheese on top of the cheese ball to create the seam. You'll want to push in the thin pieces of string cheese into the cheese just enough to create a sewn effect.
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Place the 2 long flat pieces of string cheese on each side of football and use the 4 shorter pieces to finish the stripes.
Display your Football Cheese Ball
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Chop up the dark green part of a bunch of green onions and line a platter.
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Place your football on the bed of green onions.
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Serve with your favorite crackers.
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FAQs:
What substitutions can I make?
You can do a lot to make the cheese ball just to your liking. You can:
- Use bacon bits instead of cooked bacon
- Use cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack instead of Pepper Jack
- Use a spicy taco mix
- Add some hot sauce to the mix
- Thrown in a jalapeño or two
- Add more taco mix
Can I Make the Cheese Ball in Advance?
Yes, this football cheese ball makes a great make-ahead appetizer. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days before serving. Just store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. I would advise to not wrap it tight with plastic wrap as the taco seasoning may come off when unwrapping. When you’re ready to serve, just take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before serving. You may want to keep some extra taco seasoning on hand to refresh the coating.
Can I freeze this Football Cheese Ball?
You’ll get the best results if you make it only a couple of days ahead and keep it in the fridge. But yes, you could freeze this football cheese ball. I wouldn’t recommend it because the coating may come off and some ingredients in the cheese ball may change in texture slightly after freezing, so it may not taste the same as when it was first made. But if you must, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container before freezing. When you’re ready to serve it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before unwrapping and serving. You may want to keep some extra taco seasoning on hand to fix the coating.
What can I serve with my Cheese Ball?
- You could serve the Football Cheese Ball with a variety of items such as:
- Crackers
- Pita chips
- Pretzels
- Vegetable sticks (carrots, celery, bell peppers)
- Sliced baguette or bread
- Tortilla chips
- Assorted cured meats (pepperoni, salami)
- Olives
- Pickles
- Assorted nuts
Other Easy Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love
We all need a good list of easy party appetizers we can whip up in 5 minutes or less, and I have a list of 15 fancy but easy appetizers that contain some of my favorite appetizers:
1- Quick Cream cheese dip
This one is a staple in our home. Put an 8 oz block of room-temperature cream cheese on a small plate and top with your favorite salsa or chutney. Serve with corn chips or hearty tortilla chips in a pretty bowl.
2- No Cook Artichoke dip
Drain a jar of artichoke hearts, chop them up, and mix them with Boursin cheese. Serve with your favorite cracker. It’s easy and a lot quicker to make than the classic version of the hot spinach artichoke dip.
3- Fancy Caprese salad skewers
Skewer a fresh mozzarella cheese ball, a cherry tomato and a basil leaf on to a toothpick. Drizzle with a little olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and salt.
Don’t forget to pin this football cheese ball:
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