Tasty Dill Pickle Bacon Roll Ups

Finding the perfect appetizer for your next party or game day gathering can feel like an uphill battle. After all, you want something that’s easy to make ahead, tastes great, and will have your guests coming back for more, but you also don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen when you could be enjoying the fun.

Luckily, these dill pickle bacon roll ups hit all the right notes: they’re ridiculously simple to put together, packed with bold flavors that everyone loves, and can be prepped in advance so you can actually relax and enjoy your own party.

What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?

For these roll ups, you’ll want to use regular sliced bacon from the grocery store – not thick cut bacon, which can be harder to roll and might not cook evenly. Standard bacon slices are flexible enough to wrap around the filling without breaking, and they’ll crisp up nicely in the oven. If you prefer less grease, you can opt for center cut bacon, which tends to be a bit leaner. Just make sure your bacon slices are long enough to wrap around the filling with a little overlap – most regular bacon strips work perfectly for this.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Cream cheese: If you don’t have cream cheese, you can use Greek yogurt cream cheese or even thick Greek yogurt mixed with a little mayo. Just make sure it’s thick enough to hold together when rolling.
• Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt works great as a substitute here, or you can use more cream cheese if that’s what you have on hand.
• Cheddar cheese: Feel free to swap this with any cheese you like – Swiss, pepper jack, or even cream cheese with chives all work well. Just keep it grated so it mixes in easily.
• Fresh dill: If you only have dried dill, use about 1 teaspoon instead of the tablespoon of fresh. You can also try fresh chives or green onions for a different flavor twist.
• Dill pickles: Sweet pickles can work if you prefer less tang, or try using pickle relish (just drain it well first). Bread and butter pickles are another good option.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works fine, though it won’t crisp up quite the same way. You could also use thin deli ham slices if you want to skip the cooking step entirely.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making dill pickle bacon roll-ups is using bacon that’s too crispy, which will crack and break when you try to roll it – cook your bacon until it’s just set but still flexible, about 75% done.

Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before mixing, otherwise you’ll end up with lumpy filling that’s impossible to spread evenly on the bacon.

Don’t overfill each bacon slice with the pickle mixture, as too much filling will squeeze out the sides when you roll them up, creating a messy presentation.

For the cleanest slices, chill the completed roll-ups in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting, and use a sharp knife to slice through them in one smooth motion rather than sawing back and forth.

What to Serve With Dill Pickle Bacon Roll Ups?

These tangy, savory roll ups are perfect for parties and pair really well with other finger foods and appetizers. I love serving them alongside fresh veggies like celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber slices to balance out all that rich, salty goodness. They’re also great on a charcuterie board with crackers, sliced salami, and maybe some olives or pickled vegetables to keep that briny theme going. For drinks, these roll ups go perfectly with cold beer, bloody marys, or even just sparkling water with a splash of lime to cut through the richness.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These bacon roll ups are best stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I like to place them seam-side down on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. They actually taste even better the next day when all those pickle and dill flavors have had time to meld together!

Make Ahead: You can totally prep these a day ahead for parties or gatherings. Just assemble the roll ups, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and chill overnight. The bacon stays crispy and the filling firms up nicely, making them easier to slice and serve.

Serve Cold: These roll ups are meant to be enjoyed cold straight from the fridge. No reheating needed! Just let them sit out for about 10 minutes before serving if you want to take the chill off. They’re perfect for appetizer platters or quick snacks.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1350-1500
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 120-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 10-15 g

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp pickle brine
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For assembly:

• 12 slices bacon

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

• 12 slices bacon

Cut the 12 slices of bacon in half to make 24 shorter strips.

Place the bacon halves in a large skillet over medium heat and fry until they’re just shy of crispy, as they’ll need to be pliable for rolling later.

Remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Step 2: Prepare the Dill Pickle Cheese Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp pickle brine
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

While the bacon cooks, use a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese with the sour cream, freshly chopped dill, garlic powder, and pickle brine in a large mixing bowl.

Mix until everything is creamy and well combined.

Then, add the diced dill pickles and shredded cheddar cheese, mixing on medium speed until the pickles and cheese are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

I like to let the mixture chill for 10 minutes to make spreading easier, but you can use it right away if you prefer.

Step 3: Assemble and Serve the Roll Ups

• cooked bacon halves from Step 1
• dill pickle cheese filling from Step 2

Lay out the cooked bacon halves from Step 1 on a clean surface.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the dill pickle cheese filling from Step 2 onto each strip.

Carefully roll up each strip so the filling is inside.

Arrange the roll ups on a plate and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

Tasty Dill Pickle Bacon Roll Ups

Delicious Tasty Dill Pickle Bacon Roll Ups recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1425 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp pickle brine
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For assembly:

• 12 slices bacon

Instructions

 

• Cut the 12 slices of bacon in half to make 24 shorter strips. Place the bacon halves in a large skillet over medium heat and fry until they're just shy of crispy, as they'll need to be pliable for rolling later. Remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.
• While the bacon cooks, use a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese with the sour cream, freshly chopped dill, garlic powder, and pickle brine in a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is creamy and well combined. Then, add the diced dill pickles and shredded cheddar cheese, mixing on medium speed until the pickles and cheese are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. I like to let the mixture chill for 10 minutes to make spreading easier, but you can use it right away if you prefer.
• Lay out the cooked bacon halves from Step 1 on a clean surface. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the dill pickle cheese filling from Step 2 onto each strip. Carefully roll up each strip so the filling is inside. Arrange the roll ups on a plate and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.