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Buffalo Ranch Football Cheese Ball
5 from 57 votes

Buffalo Ranch Football Cheese Ball

The Buffalo Ranch Football Cheese Ball is a creamy mixture of cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeños, bell peppers, green onions, walnuts, hot sauce, and ranch seasoning shaped into an oval to resemble a football. It is coated with chopped nuts and veggies, and finished with sour cream laces, creating a spicy, tangy appetizer ideal for game day gatherings.

Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 35 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 cream cheese 8 oz packages
  • 2 jalapeños (save 3 TBSP for outside)
  • 1 bell pepper (added all but 3 TBSP to interior)
  • ¼ cup green onion 2-3 tablespoons outside, plus inside
  • 1 cup walnuts 1/4 cup reserved, chopped
  • ¼ cup hot sauce "Red Hot" or Buffalo sauce
  • 1 ranch dip seasoning mix packet
  • 1 cheddar cheese 8 oz package, grated
  • Extras
  • sour cream for the football laces

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add your cream cheese to a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Remove seeds + stem from peppers and finely dice.
  3. Chop green onion and walnuts.
  4. Remove 3 TBSP of your jalapeño, 3 TBSP bell pepper, 2-3 TBSP of green onion, and about 1/4 cup of walnuts and set aside. This will coat the outside of your cheese ball.
  5. Add the rest of the veggies/nuts to your cream cheese along with the hot sauce, ranch dip seasoning mix, and cheddar cheese. Mix well using a fork or spatula. You could also use an electric hand mixer if you prefer!
  6. Making it spicy? Give the mixture a little taste test on a cracker and add more hot sauce and jalapeño if desired. Try not to eat it all right then and there!
  7. Once ready, scoop out mixture with a rubber spatula and add to a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper and form into an oval shape. Flatten the top of the oval, pinching the ends and pressing the sides while shaping it into a football. You'll want to press down on the middle and sort of pinch the sides while you press it into an edible football. I promise it's super duper easy, relive those childhood play dough days and have fun with it!
  8. Place in fridge for 10-15 minutes to set the football. If mixture appears super soft, allow longer chill time.
  9. For the optional (but awesome!) laces: Place a few spoonfuls of sour cream in a quart-sized plastic baggie and press into one corner of the bag. Twist the excess bag to make a faux piping bag and snip the end. Pipe laces by making one long vertical line in along the center of the cheese ball and several short horizontal lines.  This takes only seconds to do and looks SO COOL!

Notes

  • You can use one bell pepper or a mix of multicolor sweet mini peppers for the coating.
  • The cheese ball requires no cooking and can be prepared several days ahead for convenience.
  • Store chopped peppers separately in the refrigerator, walnuts at room temperature, and combine just before serving to keep coating ingredients fresh.
  • The formed cheese ball can be refrigerated up to 4 days before serving.
  • Taste the mixture during mixing to adjust spiciness by adding more hot sauce or jalapeños if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 35kcal (2%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 81mg (3%) Potassium 38mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 178IU (4%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 6mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 35

% Daily Value*

Calories 35kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 81mg 3%
Potassium 38mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 178IU 4%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 6mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.