Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip Recipe

If you’re looking for something that everyone is going to love until the chips run out, this is your dip! This dip will be the one where they scrape the bowl clean.

Why This One Gets Scraped Clean

Some dips just demand to be eaten. They’re so irresistible that if you bring them to a party, there’s a very good chance you’ll come home with an empty container.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip is one of those must-haves. It’s creamy and salty and garlicky and briny and crispy and crunchy.

It’s delicious.

If you’re looking for some easy appetizer ideas for your next party, this dip should be first on your list. You could serve it at a backyard game day party, a casual get-together, or on a Christmas appetizer tray.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip goes well with bagel chips or crackers. You can even spoon the creamy, briny cream cheese onto celery sticks if you’re trying to be healthy.

It’s crazy how few ingredients this recipe calls for. Bacon.

Cream cheese. Pickles.

That’s it. It’s perfect for parties because it comes together in no-time flat and tastes incredible.

The One Step That Keeps It from Getting Watery

There is one step that’s super-important when making Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip and it’s draining the liquid from the chopped pickles. Chopped pickles tend to release quite a bit of brine, which would make this dip watery and unappealing.

To avoid this, chop up the pickles, pour off the brine, then allow them to sit for a few minutes before mixing them with the cream cheese and bacon. You may find that even more liquid forms around the pickles.

Pour it off before combining ingredients and you’ll be rewarded with a perfectly-textured dip that won’t be watery or weird.

What You Need (Three Things)

Whipped Cream Cheese

This recipe calls for two 8-ounce tubs of whipped cream cheese. Use plain cream cheese, nothing else, which makes the dip incredibly creamy and smooth.

Whipped cream cheese saves time and effort because it’s spreadable as-is. With block-style cream cheese, you’d first have to allow it to come to room temperature and then mix until smooth.

Whipped cream cheese blends with the other ingredients right away.

Bacon

I know that pre-cooked bagged bacon would save time and make this recipe come together even quicker. However, pre-cooked bagged bacon will never be as perfectly-cooked as home-cooked bacon.

We want the bacon in this recipe to be cooked through and crunchy. It’s an integral part of this recipe.

Use either regular or thick-cut bacon, it doesn’t really matter, and make sure to cook it thoroughly.

Kosher Baby Dill Pickles

The briny punch of dill pickles is what makes this dip. Use about eight baby pickles or three-to-four full-size dill pickle spears.

Bread and butter pickles are too sweet and will throw off the entire flavor profile but the dip needs some bite and dill pickles provide that.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip

Make sure to cook the bacon really well. You need the bacon to be extra-crispy so that it maintains its crunch until everyone’s done with the dip.

To test if the bacon’s done, bend a piece. If it makes a SNAP, it’s ready to go.

If it’s not, keep cooking.

This dip is fantastic straight out of the fridge but I think it’s even better after it’s been sitting for a couple of hours. The cream cheese soaks up the pickle juice and bacon grease and it’s incredibly well-rounded and delicious.

Trust me on this one.

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing dip to make for a party, Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip will not disappoint. Serve it alongside some of these plain crackers or some bagel chips and watch the bowl get licked (almost) clean.

I love this recipe and make it frequently. Below are my photoed directions with additional tips.

Step 1: Cook bacon

Start by cooking the bacon. You can do this in a skillet like I did or any other way that works best for you.

The trick here is to make sure you get them extra crispy. You don’t want a soft/chewy bacon for this recipe.

Step 2: Let It Cool, Then Chop Small

After they’re cooked, lay them on a paper towel and allow to cool. This way they won’t fall apart as you’re chopping.

I find it’s easier to cut them on a cutting board with a sharp knife. Try to chop them up into ~1/4-inch pieces.

You can leave a few pieces whole to sprinkle on the top when you serve. I save them in a small dish until I’m ready to serve the dip.

Step 3: Dry the Pickles, Then Chop Them

While the bacon is cooking and cooling, get those pickles chopped up. Lay them on some paper towels first.

Pickle juice makes chopping difficult, so pat them as dry as possible. If you have spears, slice them in half or quarters, lengthwise, then chop them up.

Like the bacon, aim for ~1/4-inch pieces. It’s easier to eat this dip if the pickle/bacon pieces are all similar sizes.

If the pickles are bigger than the bacon, then when you bite into your loaded cracker the bigger pickle pieces are more likely to roll off. You want the ingredients to be easy to scoop up and eat.

Step 4: Mix Everything Together

When they’re both ready, combine the cream cheese, bacon, and pickles in a medium-size bowl. Use a fork or rubber spatula to mix it all together until creamy and well-combined.

When it’s well-combined there won’t be white lumps and it won’t look streaky.

Step 5: Taste It on a Cracker

At this point I’d like to recommend you take a cracker, scoop up some dip and take a taste. I’ve made this dip with various brands of cream cheese/bacon and some of them seem to be lacking in something.

For example, last time I made it, I thought it needed a little more dill and a pinch of salt. You can tweak it now before serving.

Step 6: Refrigerate If You Have Time

You can serve it now or chill for 1-2 hours or overnight. It can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

Chilling allows all the flavors to mingle and come together, making it more than just the sum of the ingredients.

Small Things That Actually Change the Result

The above directions are pretty fool-proof. Here are a few things to note though.

• Before serving, give it a good stir. Pickles always seem to release liquid with time, so make sure to stir the liquid back in. Also, when cold, it’s very creamy/dense. I like to take it out of the refrigerator ~15 minutes before serving to allow it to loosen up a bit. It’s much easier to spread on crackers.
• As mentioned above, save a few pieces of bacon to sprinkle on top. It makes it pretty and also makes it easier for people to ID what’s in the dip.
• This is a super filling dip, especially if served on something like a Ritz cracker (my favorite), Club Crackers or Wheat Thins. You’ll be amazed at how quickly it disappears. Ritz are the best at scooping without breaking.
• If you have leftovers, save them for the next day’s turkey or ham sandwich. It makes a great alternative to mayo.

What to Scoop This With

• Bagel Chips – The ultimate in sturdiness. Perfect for a filling dip like this.
• Ritz Crackers – The buttery flavor enhances the dip. And they’re sturdy enough to stand up to this thick, chunky dip. My favorite.
• Pretzel Crisps – Adds another level of seasoning that complements the dip nicely.
• Celery Sticks – For something crunchy and a tad bit lighter.

Recipe Modifications

• Use one tub of plain and one of chive-and-onion whipped cream cheese.
• Add one teaspoon of dry ranch seasoning mix.
• Add a half-cup of shredded, sharp cheddar cheese.
• For a little spice, stir in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. For more, try adding some minced pickled jalapeños from a jar.

I hope you’ll try this bacon pickle cream cheese dip recipe soon. It’s a crowd-pleaser at parties, potlucks and casual get-togethers.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip is the ultimate make-ahead party food. It’s full of tangy pickles and savory bacon.

It’s creamy, crunchy, salty, and oh-so-good.

How Long It Keeps

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip actually tastes even better the next day. Give it at least an hour to sit in the refrigerator, but up to a day if possible.

The pickle and bacon flavors permeate the cream cheese making it even more delicious.

Can You Freeze It?

Cream cheese doesn’t freeze well. It can separate and become grainy after being frozen and thawed.

What to Do With Leftovers?

My teenagers LOVE the leftovers in scrambled eggs. It’s also really good on a morning bagel or as a condiment on a ham or turkey sandwich.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip FAQ

Can you make this recipe vegetarian?

You can try it with smoked paprika and some chopped green onion in place of the bacon. It may be good, but it will be a totally different recipe.

This one’s not good enough to mess with, because there’s no doubt that bacon is the best part.

Can you use pre-cooked bacon?

I like to make my own bacon so I can cook it nice and crispy. You could use pre-cooked bacon if necessary but crispy bacon is way better.

Can you double the recipe?

Absolutely. It’s a pretty straightforward recipe that can be doubled or modified to serve as many people as needed.

Can you use a different type of cream cheese?

I prefer to use whipped cream cheese because it’s convenient. However, regular (block) cream cheese works great too.

Allow it to sit at room temp for 30 to 45 minutes to soften up. Then, use a hand mixer to whip it until it’s light and fluffy.

Other Things That Get Scraped Clean at a Party

Easy Refrigerator Pickles: These tangy pickles take just 24 hours to make. No canning required.

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies: Little smokies and bacon are a match made in party appetizer heaven.

Crab Dip with Cream Cheese: Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with lump crab meat, this dip will disappear in no time.