Friends, let me introduce you to your new favorite guilty pleasure! These Cheddar-Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs are little bundles of pure joy—tender ground beef wrapped around oozing cheddar cheese, wrapped in bacon, and brushed with tangy BBQ sauce. When these babies come out of the oven all caramelized and sizzling, your kitchen will smell like heaven and your family will come running! Trust me, you’re going to want to make a double batch because these disappear FAST.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor Explosion: The combination of juicy beef, gooey melted cheese, crispy bacon, and sweet-tangy BBQ sauce creates an unbelievable taste sensation in every bite.
- Crowd Pleaser: These little bombs of deliciousness are perfect for game day gatherings, potlucks, or family dinners—everyone from kids to grandparents will be reaching for seconds!
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep these completely in advance and just pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve, making entertaining so much easier.
- Customizable: Once you master the basic technique, you can experiment with different cheeses, seasonings, and sauces to create your own signature version.
Ingredients
All you need for these irresistible Cheddar-Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs is:
- Ground beef: The base of our bombs—80/20 lean-to-fat ratio gives the best flavor and juiciness.
- Cheddar cheese: The sharper the better for that amazing flavor that oozes out with each bite.
- Bacon: Creates a crispy, savory wrapper that keeps everything juicy inside.
- BBQ sauce: Adds that sweet, tangy, smoky flavor that caramelizes beautifully in the oven.
- Garlic powder: Infuses the meat with savory depth.
- Onion powder: Adds aromatic flavor without the texture of raw onions.
- Salt and pepper: Enhances all the other flavors in the dish.
- Breadcrumbs: Helps bind the meat mixture together for the perfect texture.
- Egg: Works as a binder to keep the meat bombs from falling apart.
- Worcestershire sauce: That secret ingredient that adds umami depth to the beef.
- Smoked paprika: Gives a subtle smoky note that complements the BBQ sauce.
The full ingredient list with measurements will be available in the recipe card below.
How to Make the Cheddar-Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs
Step 1: Prepare the Meat Mixture
Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (trust me, this saves so much cleanup later!). In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—don’t overmix or your bombs might get tough!
Step 2: Form the Bombs
Cut your cheddar cheese into approximately 1-inch cubes. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and flatten it in your palm. Place a cheese cube in the center and gently fold the meat around it, sealing well to create a meatball with the cheese completely enclosed. Roll between your palms to form a nice round ball. Repeat with the remaining meat and cheese.
Step 3: Wrap with Bacon
Cut each bacon strip in half crosswise. Wrap each meat ball with a half strip of bacon, making sure the ends overlap slightly, and secure with a toothpick. Place the bacon-wrapped bombs on your prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
Step 4: Add the BBQ Sauce
Brush each bacon bomb generously with your favorite BBQ sauce, making sure to coat all sides. This will create that amazing sticky, caramelized exterior that’s absolutely irresistible!
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. About halfway through cooking, brush with another layer of BBQ sauce for an extra boost of flavor. Let the bombs rest for about 5 minutes before serving (if you can resist that long!).
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Cold Cheese: Keep your cheese in the refrigerator until right before you use it. Cold cheese is much easier to wrap the meat around without it melting too quickly in the oven.
- Thin Bacon: Choose regular (not thick-cut) bacon, which will crisp up better and is easier to wrap around the meatballs.
- Seal Completely: Make absolutely sure there are no cracks or openings in the meat surrounding the cheese, or you’ll lose all that gooey goodness to the baking sheet!
- Rest Before Serving: Those 5 minutes of resting time allow the juices to redistribute in the meat and the cheese to set just enough so it doesn’t all run out when you take your first bite.
How to Serve
These Cheddar-Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs are versatile little crowd-pleasers! Here’s how to serve them:
- Party Appetizer: Serve on a platter with extra BBQ sauce for dipping and some ranch dressing on the side for cooling contrast.
- Main Dish: Make them the star of the meal alongside a crisp green salad, roasted vegetables, or garlic mashed potatoes.
- Sandwich Filling: Split them in half and place on slider buns with some coleslaw for amazing mini sandwiches.
- Game Day Special: Set out a platter of these babies alongside your other favorite finger foods for the ultimate game day spread.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftovers (though I doubt you’ll have any!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing
You can freeze these bombs either before or after cooking. For uncooked bombs, freeze them without the BBQ sauce on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. For cooked bombs, cool completely before freezing. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Reheating
For refrigerated leftovers, reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. For frozen uncooked bombs, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking as directed, adding about 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.
FAQs
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Absolutely! While sharp cheddar gives that classic flavor, these bombs are amazing with pepper jack for a spicy kick, mozzarella for extra stretch, or even blue cheese for a tangy punch. Just make sure to use a cheese that melts well, and cut it into cubes that will fit nicely in the center of your meat mixture.
Why did my cheese leak out during baking?
This usually happens when there’s a small opening in the meat covering. Make sure you completely seal the meat around the cheese with no cracks or thin spots. Also, don’t make your meatballs too thin—you need enough meat to contain that melting cheese as it heats up. If you’re still having trouble, try freezing the cheese cubes for 15-20 minutes before assembling.
Can I make these in an air fryer?
Yes! These work beautifully in an air fryer. Cook at 375°F for about 12-15 minutes, brushing with BBQ sauce halfway through. The bacon gets super crispy, and they cook faster than in a conventional oven. Just be sure not to overcrowd your air fryer basket—cook in batches if needed.
What BBQ sauce works best for this recipe?
This is where you can really make the recipe your own! A sweet and smoky sauce creates a beautiful caramelized exterior, while a spicy sauce adds a nice kick. I actually love using a combination—mostly sweet with a touch of spicy for the perfect balance. If you have a homemade family recipe, even better, but your favorite store-bought sauce works perfectly too!
Cheddar-Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Brush
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Filling & Wrap
- 4 oz cheddar cheese cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 slices bacon cut in half
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently.
- Cut cheddar cheese into 1-inch cubes. Flatten 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in your palm, place a cheese cube in the center, and wrap the meat around it to form a sealed ball.
- Wrap each meatball with a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
- Place on the baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with BBQ sauce.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, brushing with additional BBQ sauce halfway through.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.