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Best Loaded Bacon Ranch Football Dip

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This loaded bacon ranch football dip is the ultimate game day appetizer, featuring a creamy ranch base, melted cheddar, and crispy bacon. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleaser that disappears before halftime.

Ingredients

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  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream (full-fat works best, but Greek yogurt works in a pinch)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s or Hellmann’s)
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix (e.g., Hidden Valley)
  • 1/4 cup milk (whole milk gives the best consistency, but 2% is fine)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (1 1/2 cups in the dip, 1/2 cup for topping)
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled (about 1 cup crumbled)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts for the dip, dark green for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. While it’s heating up, cook your bacon. Lay the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-18 minutes until crispy. Let them cool on a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble into small pieces. Set aside about a quarter of the crumbled bacon for topping.
  2. Soften your cream cheese. Take it out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before you start, or microwave it in 10-second intervals until it’s soft to the touch but not melted.
  3. In your mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  4. Add the milk and mix again on low speed until fully incorporated. The mixture should be thick but scoopable, like a very thick salad dressing.
  5. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar, the mozzarella, the chopped green onions (save the dark green parts for garnish), and about 3/4 of the crumbled bacon. Use a spatula to fold everything together gently but thoroughly.
  6. Transfer the mixture to your baking dish (8×8 or 9×9). Spread it evenly with the spatula.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar over the top, then sprinkle the reserved bacon crumbles on top of the cheese.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and starting to turn golden brown. If you want a deeper golden top, switch to broil for the last 1-2 minutes, but watch it carefully.
  9. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with the reserved dark green onion slices and any remaining bacon bits. Serve warm with chips, vegetables, or crackers.

Notes

For best results, soften cream cheese to room temperature, cook bacon until almost too crispy, and shred your own cheddar cheese. The dip can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated; add 5-10 minutes to baking time if starting from cold. To keep the dip scoopable as it cools, add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of milk to the base.

Nutrition

Keywords: bacon ranch dip, football dip, game day dip, loaded dip, creamy dip, appetizer, party dip

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