This bold, smoky Bacon Pimento Cheese spread takes Southern comfort to the next level! Made with creamy mayo, Gouda, sharp cheddar, and crispy hickory-smoked bacon, every bite is loaded with rich, cheesy goodness.
Before You Start Cooking
- Buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself. Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking starches that can make this recipe gritty. Use a box grater (large holes) or the large shredding disc on a food processor.
- Choose your heat level. This recipe can be made mild or spicy, depending on your seasonings—both options are in the recipe card.
- Plan ahead. You’ll need to cook the bacon before mixing your pimento cheese. I’ve run through the steps below, but check out my How to Cook Bacon in the Oven post for more tips.
How to Make Smoky Bacon Pimento Cheese
Step 1: Cook the Bacon
For this recipe, you’ll need a 12-ounce package of regular-cut hickory smoked bacon (usually, 12-16 strips, depending on the brand), cooked crisp and crumbled. Use whatever cooking method you prefer, but I like oven-baked bacon for easy cleanup.
Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and lay the bacon strips in a single layer. It’s fine if the strips overlap a little since you’ll be chopping them after they cook, but try to leave a little space where you can so they crisp evenly. If needed, split the bacon between two pans.
Bake at 400°F until the bacon is crisp and golden—anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the brand and your oven. Start checking on it early so it doesn’t burn, particularly if your bacon is on the thinner side.
Once it’s done, transfer the bacon to a plate or another baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels to drain. Once it’s cool enough to handle, chop it into small crumbles with a sharp knife.
Tip: Once the bacon fat has cooled slightly (but hasn’t solidified), strain it into a mason jar and refrigerate. It’s a great cooking fat for country gravy, sautéed green beans, or cornbread—use it in place of the butter that goes into the hot skillet before baking.
Step 2: Mix the Bacon Pimento Cheese
In a large bowl, make the flavorful, creamy base for the pimento cheese by combining the following:
- Mayonnaise. Preferably, Duke’s—it’s rich, tangy, and a classic Southern staple. If Duke’s isn’t available, go with another “real” mayonnaise brand, like Hellmann’s. I don’t recommend using salad dressing like Miracle Whip—it’s sweeter and lower in oil and eggs.
- Seasonings. Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. To give your Bacon Pimento Cheese some heat, add ground chipotle and cayenne.
- Hickory Liquid Smoke. Just a small splash of hickory liquid smoke deepens the smoky flavor. I like Wright’s brand—it’s made with just water and smoke flavor, with no extra additives like molasses or vinegar.
Once your seasoned base is smooth and creamy, fold in your shredded cheese, pimentos, and all but about 2 tablespoons of the crumbled bacon (save that for topping the bowl later).
- Cheeses. I love a mix of smoked Gouda and cheddar. Either sharp or extra-sharp cheddar works, and you can go with yellow or white. I usually choose yellow extra-sharp cheddar—it balances the creamy, slightly sweet flavor of the Gouda.
- Pimentos. You’ll need one 4-ounce jar of diced pimentos. Drain them well, but hang onto a little of the liquid in case you need to loosen up the cheese mixture. If your store doesn’t carry diced pimentos (mine doesn’t always), sliced or whole ones work fine—just chop them up yourself.
Gently fold everything together until well combined. This is a thick, spreadable pimento cheese, but if it seems too stiff, you can add a splash (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) of the reserved pimento liquid to help smooth it out.
Storing Bacon Pimento Cheese
Store the pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I find that the flavors meld and get even better after a day in the fridge.
For the best texture, let the Bacon Pimento Cheese sit at room temperature (covered) for 20–30 minutes before serving. Chilling makes it firm up, so letting it warm up a little helps bring back its creamy consistency. Give it a stir before serving.
I don’t recommend freezing it, since the texture of the mayonnaise can break down after thawing.
Serving Bacon Pimento Cheese
Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl and top with the reserved crumbled bacon. Serve with buttery crackers—we like Ritz, Town House, or Club—for an easy, casual snack. (We love it for game day!)
You can also spread a thick layer onto soft white bread for a smoky twist on the classic pimento cheese sandwich. Or switch things up on a Southern Tomato Sandwich by swapping the mayo for a generous schmear of Bacon Pimento Cheese.
We also love this recipe with these easy serving ideas:
- Veggies. Bacon Pimento Cheese makes a great dip for celery sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber rounds, or cherry tomatoes. (We especially love it with fresh veggies from our backyard garden during the summer!)
- BLT: Create a riff on a Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato sandwich by spreading it onto toast with crisp lettuce and juicy sliced tomato.
- Grilled Cheese Upgrade. Use it in place of regular cheese for a smoky, gooey twist on grilled cheese.
- Burgers. Add a scoop on top of a hot burger patty just before serving—it’ll melt right in and add great flavor!
- Deviled Egg Filling. Stir a spoonful into your deviled egg filling for a cheesy, smoky boost. If you’re using my Classic Deviled Eggs, start with 2 tablespoons and adjust to taste. (Note: the filling won’t be pipeable—just spoon it into the egg whites.)
More Homemade Spreads
Smoky Bacon Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package hickory smoked bacon (see note)
- 1-1/2 cups good quality "real" mayonnaise (preferably, Duke's)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke (depending on how smoky your Gouda is, see note below)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups smoked Gouda , shredded (8 ounces)
- 1 cup sharp or extra-sharp cheddar , shredded (4 ounces)
- 4 ounce jar diced pimentos , drained with a little bit of the liquid reserved
To Make it Spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
Cook the Bacon
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed half-sheet pan with foil.
- Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. It’s fine if the strips overlap slightly, but don't stack them so they cook evenly (see note).
- Bake for 12–20 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp and golden. Cook time will vary by oven and bacon thickness, so start checking early to prevent overcooking.
- Carefully transfer the bacon to a double layer of paper towels to drain. Once cooled, chop the strips into small crumbles.
Mix the Pimento Cheese
- While the bacon cooks, shred both cheeses using the large holes of a box grater or the shredding disc on a food processor.
- In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chipotle and cayenne (if using–see note below).
- Fold in the shredded cheeses, drained pimentos, and all but 2 tablespoons of the crumbled bacon. Mix until well combined.
- The spread will be thick. If needed, stir in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the reserved pimento liquid to loosen the texture slightly to your preference (you might not need to; it'll vary by batch and your ingredients.)
- Store the Bacon Pimento Cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature (covered) for 20–30 minutes to take the chill off and soften the texture.
- Serve with buttery crackers, spread it onto white bread for a sandwich, or try one of the ideas in the Serving section above.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
