Game Day Football Cheese Ball Recipe 🏈

Some of us are here for the game, and some of us are here for the snacks! 

This cheese ball is creamy, savory, and loaded with bacon, pecans, jalapeño, and green onion, and of course, it's shaped like a football for the perfect game-day centerpiece! It's dairy-free (feel free to use dairy if you prefer) and gluten-free, so everyone at the party can dig in. 🧀 

Ingredients

For the cheese ball:

• 1 package dairy-free Boursin cheese
• 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup dairy-free shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup cooked, chopped bacon
• About 1 tbsp diced jalapeño
• 2 tbsp chopped green onion

For the coating:

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup cooked, chopped bacon
• A little extra diced jalapeño
• 2 tbsp chopped green onion

For the laces:

• A slice or two of dairy-free cheese, cut into thin strips

How to make it

1. Mix the cheese ball. In a large bowl, stir together the dairy-free Boursin, cream cheese, shredded cheddar, pecans, bacon, jalapeño, and green onion until well combined.
2. Shape the football. Scoop the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up and use your hands to shape it into an oval football, slightly pointed at each end.
3. Chill. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so it firms up and holds its shape.
4. Make the coating. In a separate bowl, mix the pecans, bacon, extra jalapeño, and green onion.
5. Coat it. Unwrap the football and press the coating mixture all over the outside.
6. Add the laces. Lay one long strip of dairy-free cheese down the center of the football, then place shorter strips across it to make the laces.
7. Serve. Set it on a board surrounded by your favorite gluten-free crackers and pretzels.

What to serve it with

We recommend serving it with two finds from this month's LMGF box:

Every Body Eat's Gluten-Free Pretzel Thins Salty, crunchy, and sturdy enough to scoop up a big bite of cheese ball without breaking.

Joey Saffron + Pink Salt Nordic Seed Crisps These add a different kind of crunch and a pop of flavor that pairs really well with the creamy, savory cheese ball.

Veggie sticks like celery, carrots, and bell pepper strips are great on the board too, and they add some color.

Ready for kickoff! 🏈

Whether you're cheering on your team or mostly there for the food 😉, this football cheese ball is guaranteed to be a hit on game day. It's easy to make ahead, fun to serve, and safe for your gluten-free and dairy-free friends.

If you make it, be sure to share it with us/tag us on Instagram! We'd love to see your game-day spread!

Check out the recipe in action on our Instagram! 👇