Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip Recipe

If you want something that everyone is going to love before the chips run out, then this is the dip for you! This recipe is requested over and over with only 3 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep. This dip will be the bowl that gets scraped clean at the party.

I have done this for every type of get-together: Summer backyard game days, Football Sundays, Christmas appetizer tables, and this dip is always gone in minutes. It’s all about the combination of flavors. The salty, creamy, and briny flavors keep guests coming back for more.

The foundation of this dip is cream cheese. The kosher dill pickles offer a nice sharp garlic flavor to offset the richness of the cream cheese. The dip also contains bacon which adds a nice smokey crunch to the dip. The dip goes well with bagel chips, plain crackers, celery sticks, or just eat it with a spoon when no one is looking.

Why This One Gets Scraped Clean

• Three ingredients you can find anywhere. Bacon, cream cheese, kosher dills. Nothing obscure, nothing that needs a specialty store.
• The texture contrast does the work. Thick, cool cream cheese — crispy bacon bits — firm crunch of dill pickle in every scoop. It is genuinely interesting to eat.
• Better after it sits. Make it in the morning, serve it in the afternoon, and it is noticeably better. The pickle brine and bacon flavor settle into the cream cheese and the whole thing tastes more cohesive than a freshly mixed batch.
• Travels without drama. This is a bowl of cold cream cheese. It holds its shape, does not need to be kept warm, and does not fall apart after sitting out for an hour.
• No cooking required beyond the bacon. Everything else is just chop and stir.

The One Step That Keeps It from Getting Watery

While this dip is easy to make, there is one thing that can take it from awesome to a puddle of brine come serving time.

Before adding pickles to the recipe, be sure to dry them! Once processed, kosher dill pickles begin to create excess liquid (brine) which releases moisture and combines with the cream cheese, making the dip watery before you even serve it. It only takes 5 minutes and will improve the result. Grab the baby dills, place them on a paper towel, and dry them.

Another tip is using whipped cream cheese instead of block cream cheese. This is because block cream cheese needs to be mixed at room temperature until it becomes smooth to blend. Whipped cream cheese is much easier to stir. If you already have to deal with a mix of party food, that makes a huge difference.

Also, ensure that the bacon is fully crisp, not just cooked. It should SNAP when you break it. If the bacon is undercooked, It will dissolve into the cream cheese in less than an hour. This will result in losing all of the crunch that makes this dip worth it.

What You Need (Three Things)

This bowl is typically large enough to serve six to eight people. If you need more, just scale it up directly.

Bacon

One third of a pound equals about four to five strips. You can use regular cut or thick cut. If you go thick cut, they bump up the bacon size which is nice, but will add a few minutes to the oven time. Brand bacon is a no go, and do not use bacon that comes pre-cooked in bags. The bacon will never get crunchy enough to hold up in the dip, and its texture is just wrong.

Whipped Cream Cheese

Get two 8-ounce tubs of plain whipped cream cheese. The brand is not too important. Philadelphia is good but any store brand in a tub is fine. For your first time, stick with plain. Flavored ones can throw off the balance since everything else you need is in the recipe.

Kosher Baby Dill Pickles

Around eight baby dill pickles. The baby dills are the best choice because they are crunchier, plus they are easier to cut into smaller, more uniform pieces. If you have full-size dill spears, use three to four. It’s good to taste it as you go because pickles will add more brine flavor, and people have different tolerances for that.

Kosher dill pickles are the choice to go with here. Bread and butter pickles are too sweet and will throw off the entire flavor profile. You need that sharp, garlicky bite of a kosher dill pickle for this to work.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip

Step 1: Cook the Bacon Until Fully Crispy

You can make bacon in several ways, but the easiest method is to cook it in the oven. First, preheat the oven to 400°F, Then, place the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet and leave it in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Keep a close eye on it towards the end as it can go from done to burnt in just a couple of minutes. The bacon is done when it is a dark brown color and snaps when a piece is broken.

If you’re looking to use a skillet, that should work too. But whatever you use, the goal is to be completely crispy — not soft, not chewy.

Step 2: Let It Cool, Then Chop Small

Before chopping the bacon, allow some time for it to cool on the paper towel. Hot bacon will shred instead of cut! Next go ahead and chop the bacon with a sharp knife. Aim for approx 1/4 inch pieces, the smaller you chop the better, as larger pieces will make it difficult to scoop the bacon with a cracker.

Step 3: Dry the Pickles, Then Chop Them

First, take the baby dills and dry them using a paper towel. Chop the baby dills so that they are about the same size as the pieces of bacon. If you are using whole spears, you should cut them in half lengthwise, and then chop them across. For more balanced bites, you want to make sure that each cracker scoop contains both a pickle and bacon piece, instead of one big chunk of either.

Step 4: Mix Everything Together

In a medium mixing bowl, add the two tubs of whipped cream cheese, and the chopped bacon and pickles. Mix until all the ingredients are combined, creating a uniform dip.

At first it will look streaky and that’s fine. Don’t stop stirring. Once the white lumps disappear and the bacon and pickle bits are mixed throughout, you can stop.

Step 5: Taste It on a Cracker

Before serving, make sure to taste everything first. If you want more dill flavor, chop some more dill and stir it in. If it’s lacking a bit, throw in a very small pinch of salt. It’s probably salty enough with the bacon and pickle juice. This may vary depending on your brands.

Step 6: Refrigerate If You Have Time

Although you can serve it immediately, it’s better to wait. If you’re bringing this to a party, refrigerate it for 1-2 hours to enhance flavor melding. It allows all the ingredients to come together, so the dish tastes like a single dip, rather than a bowl of separate ingredients.

If this is for a get together, prepare this in the morning, and take it out when it’s time to set the table.

Small Things That Actually Change the Result

• Reserve some bacon for the top. Sprinkle a few pieces on the surface before serving. It looks better and signals to people what is in the dip before they pick up a cracker.
• Chop consistently. Big uneven pickle chunks make this hard to scoop with a thin cracker. Aim for pieces small enough to stay on the cracker without rolling off.
• Stir before you set it out. Even well-drained pickles release a little liquid over time. A quick stir before it goes on the table brings it back together.
• Pull it out of the fridge 15 minutes early. Cold cream cheese is dense and harder to scoop. A short rest at room temperature softens it just enough to make a difference.

What to Scoop This With

Crackers

I usually choose Ritz, Club Crackers, and Wheat Thins when picking out crackers. My favorite crackers are Ritz Crackers because I like thinner crackers that scoop cleaner and don’t break off and drop everything.

Bagel Chips

For a portion of cream cheese they are tough and sturdy. If you want something that is more filling per bite, this is a good option.

Pretzel Crisps

The seasoning on the pretzel crisps goes with the bacon and dill perfectly. If you like more flavor variation with every bite, this is the one to get.

Celery Sticks

Having these crackers on the table is a nice lighter option. The crunch adds to the texture of the dip, plus gives guests more variety.

As a Sandwich Spread

I love using leftovers by spreading them on one side of a turkey or ham sandwich instead of using mayo. When my husband found this out on the second day, he claimed the whole container. I call that a success.

Four Ways to Change It Up

Chive and Onion Cream Cheese

Substitute one of the original tubs for the chive-and-onion whipped cream cheese. The subtle cream cheese’s onion flavor pairs nicely with the kosher dills and adds layers of complexity, but doesn’t change the essence of the dip.

Ranch Seasoning

Just a teaspoon of dry ranch seasoning adds a nice herby depth that does not overwhelm the dish. That is why it is such a common addition – it works every time!

Shredded Sharp Cheddar

A half-cup of shredded sharp cheddar will add some bulk as well as some tang which will complement the pickle nicely. This will work well if you are serving this as the main snack and not one of the several dishes on the table.

Spicy Version

Add a small amount of hot sauce or some minced pickled jalapeños. Remember you can always add more spice, but you can’t take it away.

Making It Ahead — Which Is Actually the Better Move

Make It the Day Before

Make the dip and wrap it up tightly – it has to sit in the fridge for a full day. When you pull it out tomorrow, the pickle brine and bacon flavor will have soaked into the cream cheese and the dip will be much more flavorful. Some recipes get better with time, and this one truly is better after a day.

How Long It Keeps

Bacon can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 days; however, it will start to lose its crunch. If crunch is a high priority for you, be sure to save some fresh bacon and add it right before serving.

Can You Freeze It

It is best not to freeze this cream cheese as it will separate and turn grainy when it thaws. For best results use it fresh or refrigerate it for up to four days. This is not a recipe that is meant to be frozen.

What to Do With Leftovers

Mix it with bagels in the morning. Use it as a sandwich spread with ham or turkey. I have also stirred a spoon into scrambled eggs, it sounds weird but the teenagers had no complaints and ate the whole pan. The teenagers were doubtful until it was all gone.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip FAQ

Can I use regular block cream cheese instead of whipped?

Yes, but leave it out first. When block cream cheese is cold, it is also stiff. This makes it hard to mix until it is smooth. Leave it out for about 30 to 45 minutes, then it should be mixable smooth with a hand mixer before you add anything else. Whipped cream cheese does do all of that — which is why I use it.

Why does my dip get watery?

Pickles: If you cut kosher dill pickles, they will begin to release brine. To avoid this, try drying them with some paper towels before you cut them. If you pull out your dip from the fridge and it is watery, it is fine. Just drain the liquid and stir it and it should come back to normal.

How much pickle is the right amount?

Eight baby dills will be a nice pickle presence without overpowering the cream cheese. If you really like pickles, go ahead and put in two or three more. If you want to be cautious, you could start with six and then taste before adding more.

Can I make this without bacon?

You can, but that’s not pickle cream cheese dip. For a meatless option, try smoked paprika instead. It adds a nice smokiness. Chopped green onion adds a little bite, too. It’s still good. It’s just not this.

How long before serving should I take it out?

This will take 15 minutes to complete. For cold cream cheese, it is thicker and more difficult to scoop, meaning it will take longer to pull it from the container. Please do not let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for two hours or more.

Can I double the recipe?

Correct. It scales directly. For larger batches, reserve some of the bacon and stir it in just prior to serving, so it stays crisp longer.

Other Things That Get Scraped Clean at a Party

• Easy Refrigerator Pickles — If you want to make the pickles that go into this dip yourself, this is the recipe. Ready in 24 hours, no canning required.
• Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies — Another bacon-forward appetizer that disappears fast. Sweet, smoky, and easy to make ahead.
• Crab Dip with Cream Cheese — Same scoop-it-with-a-cracker energy, different flavor. A good option if you want two dips on the table.

Comment if you paired the dip with something different than bagel chips or crackers!