Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip (Printable Version)

Creamy cheddar and bacon blend baked golden and bubbly, ideal for snacking or entertaining guests.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
03 - ½ cup sour cream

→ Meat

04 - 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

→ Seasonings

05 - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix (1 oz)
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tbsp sliced green onions
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a small baking dish of approximately 4 cups capacity.
02 - In a medium bowl, blend softened cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch seasoning mix until smooth and fully combined.
03 - Fold shredded cheddar, most of the crumbled bacon reserving some for topping, and black pepper into the base mixture.
04 - Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the surface.
05 - Sprinkle the reserved bacon evenly over the top of the mixture.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until hot, bubbly, and edges are lightly golden.
07 - Remove from oven, garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley if desired, and serve warm with chips or vegetable dippers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 10 minutes of actual hands-on work, then the oven does the rest.
  • One taste and people will ask if you made it yourself, even though it's almost embarrassingly simple.
  • The combination of three cheeses and bacon creates a flavor that tastes way more complicated than it is.
02 -
  • Don't skip the softening step on the cream cheese—I learned this the hard way with lumpy dip that never fully integrated no matter how much I stirred.
  • The dip will firm up slightly as it cools, so it should look a little looser than you think when it comes out of the oven.
  • Making it ahead and baking right before serving works perfectly—just cover it with plastic wrap in the fridge until you're ready.
03 -
  • Use a small baking dish rather than a wide shallow one—it keeps the dip deeper and creamier inside while the edges get that golden crust everyone secretly fights over.
  • Cook your bacon until it's almost too crispy, then crumble it fine; you want texture throughout rather than big chunks that don't distribute evenly.
  • If you're making this ahead, let the cold dip sit at room temperature for 10 minutes after baking so it reaches that perfect creamy consistency rather than being stiff.
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