Recipe: Mini French Onion Bacon Cheeseballs

Recipe: Mini French Onion Bacon Cheeseballs

Introduction

In honor of National Cheeseball Day, Three Spruce Studios is sharing our recipe for mini French onion bacon cheese balls. These perfectly bite-sized morsels are a fresh twist on a classic appetizer, packed with umami flavor.


Recreate this appetizer with our charcuterie boards and serving trays


Recipe: Mini French Onion Bacon Cheeseballs 

  • 12 oz. bacon, minced
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1-1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 bag of pretzel sticks (7 oz.)
  1. Heat a skillet to medium high heat and add minced bacon. Cook thoroughly.
  2. Line a plate or bowl with paper towel. Scoop cooked bacon out of skillet and into plate or bowl. Drain most of the bacon fat, leaving a tablespoon or two in the pan.
  3. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the minced onion, and the minced shallot to the pan. Allow to caramelize for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding oil as needed. In the last few minutes, add the garlic paste, then remove from heat.
  4. While the onion and shallot mix cooks, add 8 oz. of softened cream cheese to kitchen mixer. Mix on high until lightly whipped. Scrape sides as needed.
  5. Add yogurt to the mixer bowl and allow to combine.
  6. Lower the mixer speed to medium and add grated Gruyère cheese, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to the cream cheese and yogurt mixture.
  7. Gradually add the cooked bacon and caramelized onion mixtures into the cream cheese.
  8. When all ingredients are fully combined, use a cookie scoop or teaspoon to create small balls of the mixture.
  9. Wrap each of the mini cheese balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  10. Place about half of the bag of pretzels in a gallon zip bag and crush with a rolling pin until coarsely crushed.
  11. Place the crushed pretzels on a plate. Unwrap each cheeseball and roll until thoroughly coated. 
  12. Push a whole pretzel stick into the middle of each cheeseball, flattening the bottom as necessary to stand upright.
  13. Serve on a Three Spruce Studios charcuterie board with ramekins of mustard and honey mustard. Serve the remainder of the crushed pretzels alongside the cheeseballs. Dip into mustards and crushed pretzels. Enjoy!

What We Thought

"These are INSANELY good. If you're a French onion soup enthusiast like me, you'll love how the caramelized onion and Gruyère combine with the saltiness of the bacon and pretzels."

-Lauren

"The creaminess of the cheese balances out super well with the smokiness of the bacon."

-Randall

 

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