I am sharing my mother’s infamous Shrimp and Pecan Cheese Ball with my readers today. Originally the recipe did not call for bacon, but since Dad loved his bacon so – Mom altered the recipe to put oodles of crispy bacon throughout the cheese ball for him and it became a HUGE success.

My mom loved to cook, and we loved testing out whatever she and Nana came up with! During the holidays, our kitchen island was filled with tasty treats to nibble on all season long. Over the next few days, I will be sharing with you my mother’s favorite holiday recipes and hope that they will become some of your family’s new favorites as well!

Print Recipe

Shrimp Pecan and Bacon Cheese Ball or Log

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/2 cup minced garlic
1 small red onion chopped fine
1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and chopped
8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1 cup white Cheddar
kosher salt
ground black pepper
12 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, with 1/2 reserved
1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped, with 1/2 reserved
1/2 cup chives chopped, with 1/2 reserved

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook till they are bright pink on the outside and are no longer transparent in the center, about another 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese with cheddar, shrimp mixture, half the bacon, half the pecans, and half the chives. Season with salt and pepper and stir until combined.
Empty bowl out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a ball or a log shape with your hands. Place in the refrigerator to harden slightly.
On a large plate, combine the remaining chives, bacon, and pecans. Stir so that they are evenly distributed on the plate. Remove cheese ball or log from refrigerator and roll in mixture, pressing more toppings on with your hands if needed. Place on a serving dish with crackers or vegetables for dipping.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!