This was inspired by the classic NYE cheeseball appetizer! For this version, we’re making mini cheese balls from a combo of goat cheese and cheddar. A mixture of popcorn, bacon, and pistachios get mixed in and then used as a coating for the balls. Quickly pop them in the oven for a few minutes and you’ve got bacon and popcorn infused cheese balls with a little crunch!
Note: these do take some time to make since you have to roll and coat each ball. See prep ahead list!
Ingredient highlight
Goat cheese! This soft, tangy cheese is made with goat milk, which many people find easier to digest than cows milk because it contains smaller fat molecules and a lower lactose content. It’s also a good source of calcium, protein, and B vitamins.
Servings 32 tiny cheese balls
Prep Time 20 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 1 cup popped popcorn, plus more for serving*
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 slices (~ 5 oz) bacon, cooked until crispy, cooled**
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg
- *You can use plain, salted, or flavored popcorn.
- **To cook your bacon, place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake at 400F for anywhere between 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook time depends a lot on the thickness and type of bacon, so use your judgement. You want the bacon crispy!
- Make it sweet and salty! ~ Mix about ¼ cup of finely chopped dates or dried cranberries into the goat cheese mixture. I tested this, but I prefer a purely salty treat.
- Time saver! ~ If you have an extra baking sheet or quarter sheet pan, bake the cheese balls in two rounds. While the first round is baking, you can get the next round ready.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the goat cheese and spread it around. Set aside to let it soften.
- Meanwhile, in a personal sized or small blender, add the popcorn and pulse into fine crumbles. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Next, add the pistachios and thyme to the blender and pulse into a fine/semi-coarse meal. Transfer to the bowl. Lastly, add the bacon and pulse until finely chopped. The bacon will likely clump up. Transfer it to the bowl, scraping out anything stuck. Use your hands to mix everything together until evenly combined, breaking up the clumps of bacon.
- To the large bowl with the goat cheese, add the cheddar and pepper and use your hands to mix to combine. Add about ⅓ cup of the popcorn mixture. Use your hands again to combine thoroughly. Roll into small balls (about a heaping teaspoon worth) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes (or overnight), if you have the time. If not, move onto the next step.
- In a small bowl, add the egg and whisk until smooth. Roll the goat cheese ball into the egg mixture to coat. Shake off any excess egg, then roll it in the remaining popcorn mixture to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the balls. It helps to use one hand for dipping in the egg, and the other hand for coating (one wet and one dry hand).
- Bake for 5-7 minutes (less time if you did not freeze) or until the coating is toasted/golden brown. If you notice any of the balls are starting to flatten or explode, they’re done! Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve (scatter extra popcorn and pistachios all around the cheese balls for presentation).
- You can serve these just warm, but they’re fine room temp if they sit out for a while. You could put these on a cracker or eat them as is!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Mix together the goat cheese mixture. Form into balls and freeze.
- Blend up and mix together the coating mixture.
Substitutions:
- These cannot be made vegan.
- To make vegetarian, skip the bacon and add a bit of extra nuts and popcorn so you have enough volume and add in about ¼-½ teaspoon of salt to the goat cheese mixture.
- Use parmesan or any other grated cheese in place of cheddar (or use a three cheese mix).
- Use pecans in place of pistachios.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- You could reheat these in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes or just eat them straight out of the fridge. You can also microwave them for about 10-15 seconds or until they’re sizzling. However you reheat them, let them cool until they’ve firmed up again.
- Crumble these on top of salads or bowls!
leave your comments!