These Bacon Pickle Boats Stuffed With Cream Cheese (aka pickle poppers) are a perfect party or game day appetizer that can be made in under 1 hour. If you love jalapeño poppers, this low-carb and gluten-free pickle-based variation is sure to be a winner!
You will love these if you enjoy appetizers like these Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts and Bacon Wrapped Mini Peppers.
Each pickle half is turned into a hollow boat that is then stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and spices then wrapped in bacon and served with homemade ranch. Every time I’ve served them, I’m asked to share the recipe!
These bite-sized party appetizers are perfect for any gathering, and they go well with refreshing drinks like strawberry basil smash, sugar free lemonade, raspberry sorbet wine spritzer, or spiked frozen Coke.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Very easy to prepare!
- Includes straightforward ingredients you may already have on-hand.
- Low in carbs, perfect for a keto diet, and gluten-free.
- Stuffed with cream cheese AND wrapped in bacon!
- Different and fun recipe for serving at parties.
- Can be made in less than 1 hour.
➡️ Ingredients
- Dill pickles
- Cream cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Dried dill
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Bacon
- Mayo
- Sour cream
- Heavy whipping cream
- Apple cider vinegar
- Pepper
- Salt
⏲ How to make bacon pickle boats stuffed with cream cheese
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full oven instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice the pickles in half lengthwise then scoop out the seeds from the center of the pickles.
- Mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and spices then spoon that into the pickle halves, wrap with bacon, and place on a baking sheet before baking until the bacon is just crispy. Then, flip each pickle over after 15 minutes to ensure the bacon crisps up on all sides.
- While the pickles bake, mix together all of the ranch ingredients.
- With the pan of pickles still in the oven, turn the oven broiler on and broil until the bacon is crispy.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pickles to cool slightly before serving with your homemade ranch.
🍴 Net carbs
Each serving contains 1.6 grams of net carbs. 1 pickle boat + ~1 Tablespoon ranch is equivalent to 1 serving and the recipe yields 12 servings.
Net carbs are calculated by taking total carbs, subtracting fiber, and subtracting sugar alcohols.
You can find the full nutrition information, including calories, total carbs, protein, and fat content, in the nutrition label below the recipe instructions within the recipe card.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Dill Pickles: Jalapeños can be used here at a 1:1 ratio. You will need to de-seed them based on your spice preference. Note that baking time will likely be different than what is written in the original recipe, so be sure to watch them carefully to avoid burning. You could also even use zucchini instead of pickles!
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Shredded mozzarella, Colby-Jack, or Monterey Jack are good options.
- Mayonnaise: Greek Yogurt works great here at a 1:1 ratio. Or, sour cream can be used in place of mayonnaise. Note that since the recipe already calls for sour cream, you will need to use the originally written amount of sour cream (¼ cup) plus an additional ½ cup to substitute for the mayonnaise.
- Sour Cream: Mayonnaise can be used in place of sour cream. Since the recipe already calls for mayonnaise though, you will need to use the originally written amount of mayonnaise (½ cup) plus an additional ¼ cup to substitute for the sour cream.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: White wine vinegar or lemon juice can be substituted here at a 1:1 ratio.
Keep in mind that any changes you make to this recipe may modify the carb content.
✨ Variations of pickle boats
- Mix finely chopped pickled or fresh jalapenos into the cream cheese mixture.
- Mix some air fryer roasted garlic into the cream cheese mixture.
- Stir in some honey or syrup (I like Lakanto’s Maple-Flavored Syrup) into the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener or brown sugar atop the bacon before baking.
- Use a basting brush to spread some syrup atop the bacon before baking.
💬 FAQs for bacon pickle boats
Does it matter what kind of bacon I use?
Not necessarily, but I would suggest using thin slices, if possible. This will ensure the bacon cooks evenly.
What can I do with the scooped-out pickle centers?
You can chop up the centers and add them to tuna salad or egg salad. Or, you could even really finely chop them up and add them to the cream cheese mixture and put them right back into the pickle boats!
Can I make these in the air fryer?
I would think so, yes! I would suggest cooking them in batches at 400 degrees until the bacon is crispy. You will need to flip them over halfway through cooking.
How should the leftovers of the pickle boats be stored?
Store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
📚 More savory appetizers
🍽 Recipe
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Bacon Pickle Boats Stuffed With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Pickle Boats:
- 6 whole dill pickles, ~210g
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons, 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup + 3 Tablespoons, 49g shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 12 small bacon slices, ~275g
Ranch:
- ½ cup 120g mayonnaise
- ¼ cup 60g sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons 30mL heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons 7g apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pickle Boats: Slice large dill pickles in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds of each pickle half with small spoon or teaspoon measuring spoon.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and spices. Spoon mixture into dill pickle halves, wrap each with bacon as tightly as possible to avoid mixture spilling out, and transfer each to prepared baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to oven to bake until bacon is just crispy, about 25-30 minutes, flipping each over after 15 minutes to ensure bacon crisps up on all sides.
- Ranch: While pickles bake, in a mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients. Set aside.
- Final Steps: With pan of pickles still in oven, turn oven broiler on and broil until desired crispiness of bacon is reached, about 1-3 minutes, watching carefully to ensure they do not burn. Remove pan from oven, allow pickles to cool slightly, before serving with prepared ranch.
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