Pickle Poppers
If you love bold flavors and crave that irresistible mix of smoky, cheesy, and tangy, these Pickle Poppers are about to become your new favorite thing. They hit every flavor note in the best way possible, and they make an epic appetizer or game day snack.
We tried these for the first time at a backyard BBQ, and it was love at first bite. The combo of crispy bacon, creamy cheese, and zesty pickle is next-level satisfying. Plus, they’re super fun to make and even more fun to eat.
If you’re looking for more unique appetizers, check out our jalapeno popper egg rolls, bacon wrapped little smokies, or cuban sliders too.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold and Tangy Flavor: The pickle and BBQ seasoning give these a tangy kick.
- Perfect Texture Combo: Crispy bacon on the outside, creamy cheesy middle.
- Low-Carb Friendly: Great for keto and low-carb lifestyles.
- Totally Crowd-Pleasing: These disappear fast at parties or game nights.
Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This recipe starts with crunchy dill pickles as the base. You’ll scoop them out and stuff them with a mix of mozzarella or cream cheese, then pack on a hearty cheddar beef mixture. The entire thing gets wrapped in smoky bacon and seasoned with your favorite BBQ rub before getting baked to crispy perfection. And don’t forget the optional dill ranch dip made from the scooped-out pickle bits—it’s a game-changer!
Variations
- Spicy Version: Add jalapeño slices or hot sauce to the cheese mixture.
- Different Cheese: Try pepper jack or smoked gouda for a flavor twist.
- Turkey Bacon: For a lighter option, swap regular bacon for turkey bacon.
- Vegetarian Hack: Use plant-based beef and bacon alternatives.
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice pickles in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
- Cook and crumble ground beef, drain excess oil. Mix in shredded cheddar cheese while beef is warm.
- Fill some with cream cheese, others with mozzarella sticks. Mold beef and cheese mix around each pickle half.
- Wrap each with bacon and season with BBQ rub. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, then at 400°F for 15-20 more minutes.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your bacon is fully wrapped to hold everything together.
- Let the beef mixture cool slightly before handling.
- Use toothpicks to secure bacon if needed.
- Keep an eye on the oven to prevent over-crisping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! Assemble them a few hours in advance and bake when ready.
Dill pickles with a firm texture hold up best when baked.
Absolutely! Air fry at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Pickle Poppers
Equipment
- baking sheet
- small skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- Knife
- Spoon or small scooper
Ingredients
- 8 dill pickles sliced in half
- 1 pound ground beef cooked and scrambled
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 3-4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 16 slices bacon
- 2-3 tablespoons BBQ seasoning
- Ranch optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
- While the oven is preheating, scramble the ground beef in a small skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess oil.
- Add the cheddar cheese to the scrambled beef while the meat is still warm. Set aside to cool.
- Slice the pickles in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds inside of each pickle half. Salvage what you scoop out of the pickles for adding to the ranch later.
- Add cream cheese to four of the pickles and mozzarella cheese sticks to the other four.
- Pack about ¼ cup of the cheese and beef mixture tight around each pickle half. The cheese and beef will stick together enough to encase the pickle and cheese.
- Wrap each pickle half with two slices of bacon. If your pickle half is small, it’s ok to use one piece.
- Season each bacon wrapped pickle half with a BBQ seasoning of your choice.
- Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, increase the temperature to 400 F for another 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Because the beef has already been precooked, you only need to wait on the bacon to crisp. Allow to cool slightly before devouring.
- Optional: Add any remaining cream cheese, ranch, and the saved pickle seeds to a food processor or blender and blend to make a delicious dill ranch dip!
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Those look amazing! It’s the best of three of my favorite foods!
This is such an amazing combination of flavors, and I love how simple it is. AAA!
The sauce with the cream cheese, meat, and that dill flavor of the pickles is amazing!
These are awesome! I used extra huge dill pickles for this and just about doubled the ingredients. Fantastic.
I’m not into pickles but I make these all the time for my friends. They’re such pickle lovers and they requests these each time we have a gathering.
I made these as a snack and they were so fun. Crispy outside with that tangy pickle inside — really good combo. They disappeared fast!
Such a delicious appetizer to make for game day weekends! These are outrageously good!
Wow, what a fun holiday appetizer! I love pickles!
What a fun and creative appetizer! Combining the crunchy dill pickle with that creamy, cheesy filling and a crispy coating is brilliant. These would be a guaranteed hit at any game-day gathering!
What a fun and creative appetizer! Combining the crunchy dill pickle with that creamy, cheesy filling and a crispy coating is brilliant. These would be a guaranteed hit at any game-day gathering!