Everything Bagel Cheese Ball
It's not for breakfast, but perfect for any other time of day...
While we’d be hard-pressed to find a breakfast item we didn’t love, there’s something especially satisfying and delicious about an everything bagel smeared with lots of cream cheese. There’s so much flavor to take in, perfectly balanced by the creamy schmear, and the fact that we can just as easily take it on the go as we can sit and enjoy it with our morning cup of joe is always great. While we’ll never tire of this tasty classic, we thought we’d reinvent the wheel a bit and create an appetizer that would transition this typical breakfast and brunch item into a dinner-appropriate dish that people can nosh on at your next get-together or potluck. So we came up with the everything bagel cheese ball.
Ooh yeah. We took it to cheese ball town and we’re so glad we did. Cream cheese, obviously, sour cream and cheddar cheese make up the base of our cheese ball, but we also threw in just about everything but the kitchen sink in regards to the outer coating of this bad boy. Minced onion, dried garlic, poppy seeds and sesame seeds to name a few are what coat our beautiful ball of cheese, and trust us when we say they add. so. much. flavor. If you have other herbs or spices that you want to throw into this mix, feel free, but we think the combo we came up with tastes spot-on, just like the original bagel in all its glory.
If you like cream cheese, bagels or just cheese in general, you really can’t go wrong with this cheese ball. You could easily serve it just as a dip, skipping the ball-forming process, but we love how this recipe comes together; it looks just as amazing as it tastes, and that the outer coating looks just like its namesake is the icing on top of the cake. You won’t find a yummier appetizer than this, so get rolling and enjoy!
Everything Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons bacon bits, optional
- 2 teaspoons horseradish
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Topping:
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2 tablespoons dried garlic
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons coarse/sea salt
- bagel chips, garnish
- red onion, garnish, optional
Preparation
- In a large bowl or mixer, beat cream cheese until softened and fluffy. Add sour cream and mix until smooth.
- Fold in cheddar cheese, bacon bits (if using) and horseradish, then season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Transfer mixture to a large sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a ball, making sure to seal the edges.
- Place cheese ball in a bowl, then set in the fridge and let set. 1-2 hours.
- While cheese sets, whisk together topping ingredients (dried onion, garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and sea salt) until combined.
- Remove cheese ball from refrigerator and unwrap, taking care that it keeps its shape.
- Roll cheese ball in topping ingredients until it’s completely coated. Serve with bagel chips and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Beach House Kitchen