The Best Smoked Cream Cheese Ball Loaded Bites

Thanks to the smoked cream cheese, these loaded cheese ball bites are the best out there! They are the perfect grab-and-go anytime appetizer!

This post is being sponsored by my friends at GE Profile featuring their amazing new GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I trust and believe in.

Not Your Mama’s Cheese Ball

If you’re like me you grew up where every Mom in the neighborhood had an amazing cheese ball recipe. My Mom most definitely rocked a mean cheese ball.

Today, I’m taking it one step further, well, technically 2 steps, as I’m making it with Smoked Cream Cheese, AND I’m making them as mini-loaded cheese balls. These are THE PERFECT Holiday party appetizers! Everyone loves these, and they are always a huge hit!

Smoked Cream Cheese Ball Loaded Bites Ingredients

This recipe is so easy and super customizable when it comes to mix-ins/coatings. The one thing I would not swap out is the smoked cream cheese. Trust me on this; it’s a game-changer!

• Cream cheese – full fat works best
• Cheddar cheese – finely shredded works best
• Green onions
• Crispy Bacon
• Ranch Powder Seasoning
• Mini Pretzel Sticks
• Toasted Pecans

Set Up The GE Profile Indoor Smoker

Right now this smoker is on sale at your local Lowe’s! What I love about it is that regardless if you live in a place that doesn’t have a backyard or allows grills/smokers you can still have this as it’s an indoor smoker!

1. Fill the GE Profile Indoor Smoker to the water line and fill up the hopper with pellets. I went with what came in the box but if you have pellets at home, use a fruity-type pellet.
2. Insert one rack and preheat the smoker to 250F. Set the smoke level to 2 and the time to 1 hour.
3. While the smoker is preheating, assemble the dish!

Smoke The Cream Cheese

I found it’s best to start with super cold cream cheese to remove it from the package. Plus it’s easier to score it when it’s cold.

1. Place the cold cream cheese on a foil-lined pan or baking dish. Using a paring knife, make shallow hash marks/criss-cross marks into the top of the cream cheese.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the ranch seasoning over top of each block of cream cheese.

3. Place the pan into the preheated smoker and smoke for 1 hour.
4. Once done, allow the cream cheese to cool to room temperature. *If I’m super impatient I’ll place it in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes to cool down. You want it to be cool enough so it doesn’t melt the Cheddar cheese.

Make the Loaded Cream Cheese Ball Mixture

With this part, you can either make it in a bowl with an electric mixer, a stand mixer with paddle attachment, or a bowl with a spatula (as long as your cream cheese is cool but soft).

1. To a large bowl add in the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
2. Add in the rest of the ranch seasoning, finely shredded cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon. Mix until well combined. *If the mixture is too soft to mold, cover and chill for 1 hour.

Grab The Smoked Cream Cheese Balls Ingredients

To be fully transparent here, these cheese balls almost didn’t happen as I fell in love HARD with the smoked cream cheese mixture. That loaded smoked cream cheese recipe is amazing! That on a bagel all day long!!!

• Smoked loaded cream cheese mixture
• Coating – minced green onions, toasted pecans, crispy bacon
• Mini Pretzel Sticks

1. In a bowl, mix the coating ingredients and set aside.

Assemble the Mini Smoked Cream Cheese Ball Bites

1. Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 heaping teaspoons), scoop up some loaded cheese ball mixture and roll it into a ball. *If it’s too hard to roll or the mixture sticks to your hands, lightly dampen your hands with water.
2. Place the cheese ball into the coating mixture and coat all sides completely.
3. Repeat until all of the balls have been scooped and coated.
4. If serving right away, insert a pretzel stick. If serving it later, insert the pretzel stick before serving.

Prepping Cheese Balls In Advance

I think aside from how amazing it tastes, I LOVE that I can prep these easily 3 days in advance (skip the pretzel inserting part until right before you serve).

Just roll, coat, and transfer these to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge. Easy Peasy appetizer!

Recipe Substitutions & Additions

Honestly, you can go a million ways with this. I’d love to hear your variations on this!

• Cheese – instead of the finely shredded cheddar mix it up. Try pepper jack, gouda, swiss, port wine and so forth
• Nuts – omit them or try almonds, walnuts
• Seasonings – try other seasonings like buffalo ranch, pimento, taco, jalapeno popper
• Gluten-Free – go with GF pretzels or use celery, carrots, or jicama sticks instead!

Smoked Cream Cheese Ball Loaded Bites Recipe

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Thanks to the smoked cream cheese, these loaded cheese ball bites are the best out there! They are the perfect grab-and-go anytime appetizer!

• Author: Lori
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1.5 hours
• Yield: 30-40 bites
• Category: appetizers, game day snacks, gluten free snacks, holiday treats, keto friendly, party foods, smoked foods, snacks
• Method: smoker
• Cuisine: appetizers, game day snacks, gluten free snacks, holiday treats, keto friendly, party foods, smoked foods, snacks

Ingredients

• 2–eight-ounce blocks of cream cheese, cold
• 3 Tablespoons Ranch Powder Seasoning, divided
• 9 slices of crispy bacon chopped small, divided
• 7 green onions, minced, divided
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar
• 3/4 cup pecans, processed small
• 30–40 pretzel sticks

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Instructions

1. Fill the GE Profile Indoor Smoker to the water line and fill up the hopper with pellets. I went with what came in the box but if you have pellets at home, use a fruity-type pellet. Insert one rack and preheat the smoker to 250F. Set the smoke level to 2 and the time to 1 hour. While the smoker is preheating, assemble the dish!
2. Place the cold cream cheese on a foil-lined pan or baking dish. Using a paring knife, make shallow hash marks/criss-cross marks on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the ranch seasoning over top of each block of cream cheese.
3. Place the pan into the preheated smoker and smoke for 1 hour. Once done, allow the cream cheese to cool to room temperature. *If I’m super impatient, I’ll place it in the fridge for 30-40 minutes to cool down. You want it to be cool enough to not melt the Cheddar cheese.
4. Add cream cheese to a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add in the rest of the ranch seasoning, finely shredded cheese, 5 minced green onions, and six slices worth of crispy bacon.  Mix until well combined. *If the mixture is too soft to mold, cover and chill for 1 hour.
5. Using a small cookie scoop (about two heaping teaspoons), scoop up some loaded cheese ball mixture and roll it into a ball. *If it’s too hard to roll or the mixture sticks to your hands, lightly dampen them with water.
6. Make the coating mixture by adding the rest of the bacon (3 strips worth, two whole minced green onions, and the pecans). Place the cheese ball into the coating mixture and coat all sides thoroughly. Repeat until all of the balls have been scooped and coated.
7. If serving right away, insert a pretzel stick. If serving it later, insert the pretzel stick before serving.

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