Bacon Ranch Cheese Bread

If you’re a fan of bacon and ranch, this bacon ranch cheese bread is a pretty easy sell. A loaf of French bread gets covered with a creamy ranch and cheese spread, piled with bacon, and baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly with just a little golden around the edges. The creamy ranch spread melts into the bread while the bacon gets tucked into all that gooey cheese.

I can’t even explain how super easy this cheesy bread is to throw together. Just like my olive cheese bread, jalapeño popper cheese bread, and artichoke bread, it starts with French bread, a flavorful spread, and a quick trip to the oven.

With this recipe, I take the bacon and ranch up a notch. There’s plenty of bacon mixed into the cheesy spread, plus a little extra for the top, and I like to use a generous amount of ranch seasoning so the flavor really stands out. If you love ranch, you can go all in. If not, start with a little less and add more to taste.

I usually cut the bread into smaller pieces when I’m serving it as an appetizer or snack, but bigger pieces make it a pretty hearty lunch or easy dinner, kind of like a French bread pizza.

And this is definitely one to keep in mind for game day. Bacon, ranch, cheese, and bread check off all the important boxes for a Super Bowl spread, or really any kind of party.

Why You’ll Love This Bacon Ranch Cheese Bread

• Lots of bacon and ranch. I’m not shy with either one. This is bacon ranch bread, after all.
• No fussy assembly. The topping gets spread right over the open-faced French bread instead of being worked into little spaces like some pull-apart breads.
• Easy to serve. Cut it into small pieces for an appetizer or larger pieces for a more filling meal.
• Make it ahead. The cheesy bacon spread can be prepared ahead of time, which is especially handy for parties.
• Works as more than an appetizer. Make the pieces bigger and serve it for lunch or dinner when you want something a little more substantial

Ingredients for Bacon Ranch Cheese Bread

• French bread
• Bacon
• Colby Jack cheese
• Ranch seasoning mix
• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Fresh chives
• Garlic

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

French Bread
I use a long loaf of French bread from the grocery store bakery. The loaf I use is about 24 inches long and gets cut in half and then sliced open, giving you four long pieces to spread the topping over.

Another similar-sized loaf will work too. You just want enough surface area for all that cheese mixture.

Cheese
Colby Jack is my go-to here because it melts nicely and gives the bread that smooth, gooey cheese topping. Monterey Jack or mild cheddar would also work well.

I recommend shredding the cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese. The coating on pre-shredded cheese can keep it from melting into that smooth cheesy puddle you want on the bread.

Ranch Seasoning Mix
You can use either a dry ranch seasoning mix or ranch dip mix. I recommend the ranch seasoning mix because it has about half the salt. Other than that, the flavors are pretty much the same.

I like a pretty strong ranch flavor in this bread, but this is definitely a matter of taste. A packet has about 2½ tablespoons, so I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon and giving the cheese mixture a taste. Add more if you want the ranch to stand out more.

And don’t add salt. Between the bacon and ranch seasoning, there’s already plenty going on.

Bacon
I use 8 slices of bacon here, which is more than some similar bacon cheese bread recipes. I like it that way.

You can cook the bacon however you normally do. I usually cook it on the stovetop, but the oven or microwave works too. Just don’t cook it extra crisp because it will get more cooking time once the bread goes into the oven.

I also like to save one slice to crumble over the top. It’s not necessary, but when I’m serving this as a party appetizer, I like people to be able to see the bacon.

Sour Cream and Mayonnaise
You can use light sour cream and light mayonnaise if that’s what you have. I’ve made this with both regular and light versions.

Garlic and Chives
These are my additions rather than absolute requirements. If you want to make the recipe as simple as possible, you can leave them out.

I like the garlic because it gives the spread a little more savory flavor, and the fresh chives add a pop of color and another little hint of that ranch flavor.

How to Make Bacon Ranch Cheese Bread

Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.

1. Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon using your preferred method, whether that’s stovetop, oven, or microwave. I usually do mine on the stovetop. Cook it through but don’t make it extra crisp since it will cook again in the oven. Chop or crumble it into small pieces and set aside to cool.
2. Make the cheese spread. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning, garlic, and chives. Give it a taste and add more ranch seasoning if you want a stronger flavor. Stir in the shredded cheese and cooled bacon until everything is evenly mixed. I like to reserve about ½ cup of the cheese and one slice of bacon for the top, but that’s completely optional.
3. Slice the French bread. If you’re using a long 24-inch loaf, cut it into two 12-inch pieces. Slice each piece open so you have four open-faced pieces of bread. This gives you a nice, flat surface for all that cheesy topping.
4. Spread the topping over the bread. Divide the mixture evenly between the four pieces and spread it all the way to the edges. I use a silicone or rubber spatula because it makes this part much easier. Getting the topping close to the edges also helps keep the exposed bread from browning too much. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and bacon over the top, if using.
5. Bake. Place the bread on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet for easier cleanup and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If the edges are getting too brown before the cheese is ready, loosely tent the bread with foil for the last few minutes.
6. Slice and serve. For an appetizer or snack, I usually cut the bread into about 2-inch pieces. If you’re serving it as lunch or dinner, cut it into larger pieces. There’s really no wrong way to do this part.

SERVING TIP: For a party, I like to keep the pieces fairly small so people can grab one without committing to an enormous piece of bread. If you’re serving it as a meal, go bigger and serve it with a salad, soup, or stew.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Shred your own cheese. It melts better than pre-shredded cheese, which is important when the whole point is a smooth, melted cheese topping.

Don’t add salt. The bacon and ranch seasoning take care of that.

Get the topping close to the edges. This helps keep the exposed bread from getting too browned while the cheese melts.

For another bacon-heavy appetizer, try my candied bacon crackers. They’re completely different from this bread, but they have the same general appeal of being easy to grab and snack on.

More Bread Appetizer Recipes

If you’re building an appetizer spread, these are a few more bread recipes worth having around.

• Olive Cheese Bread
• Cheesy Artichoke Bread
• Jalapeño Popper Cheese Bread
• Tomato Bruschetta with Basil and Garlic
• Restaurant-Style Bread Dipping Oil

More Bacon Appetizer Recipes

Because there’s really no reason to stop at one bacon appetizer.

• Candied Bacon Crackers with Brown Sugar
• Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese and Maple Glaze

Continue to Content

Bacon Ranch Cheese Bread

Yield: 24 appetizer pieces

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A loaf of French bread topped with a creamy ranch and cheese mixture, piled with plenty of bacon, then baked until hot and bubbly with melty cheese throughout.

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Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) loaf French bread, about 24 inches long
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
• 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix, plus more to taste
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 4 cloves

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon until done but not extra crisp. Chop or crumble into small pieces and set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, garlic, and chives. Taste and add more ranch seasoning if desired.
3. Stir in the shredded cheese and cooled bacon until evenly combined. If desired, reserve about ½ cup cheese and 1 slice of bacon for the top.
4. Cut the French bread into two 12-inch pieces. Slice each piece open to create four open-faced pieces.
5. Divide the cheese mixture evenly over the bread and spread close to the edges. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bacon, if using.
6. Place on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Tent loosely with foil if the edges brown too quickly.
7. Cut into about 2-inch pieces for an appetizer or larger pieces for a meal.

Notes

Start with 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning and add more to taste. I like a strong ranch flavor and may use up to 1 packet (which contains about 2½ tablespoons total).

Do not add additional salt.

Shred the cheese yourself for the smoothest melt.

The cheese spread can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Cook the bacon until done but not extra crisp since it will cook again in the oven.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 2 pieces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 510mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g

Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific bread, bacon, cheese, ranch seasoning, and other ingredients used.

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