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.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	20-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

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:

• 1 tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped for best flavor)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature for easy mixing)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp pickle brine (adds tangy depth)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use Cabot for better melting)
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)

For assembly:

• 12 slices bacon (thick-cut preferred for structural support)

Step 1: Prepare the Dill Pickle Cream Cheese Filling

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

In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, fresh dill, garlic powder, and pickle brine.

Mix until smooth and creamy, breaking up any lumps in the cream cheese.

Fold in the diced dill pickles and shredded cheddar cheese until evenly distributed throughout.

I like to taste the filling at this point and adjust the seasoning—sometimes I add a tiny pinch of salt if it needs more pickle flavor.

Set the filling aside while you prepare the bacon.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon to Near-Crispy

• 12 slices bacon

Cut the bacon slices in half lengthwise to create 24 shorter strips (this gives you more surface area for filling and makes rolling easier).

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.

Cook until the bacon is mostly cooked through with some golden color but still has slight flexibility—it should bend without breaking.

This partial cooking keeps the bacon from being too crispy to roll while ensuring it won’t be flabby when you eat it.

Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.

Step 3: Assemble and Roll the Bacon Bundles

• cooked bacon strips from Step 2
• dill pickle cream cheese filling from Step 1

Once the bacon strips have cooled enough to handle (about 2 minutes), lay one strip flat on a clean surface.

Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the dill pickle filling from Step 1 onto each bacon strip, leaving a small border at one end for easier rolling.

Starting from the filled end, tightly roll the bacon strip into a compact cylinder and place it seam-side down on a serving platter or baking sheet.

I like to arrange them close together so they stay warm and look appealing when served.

Step 4: Serve Immediately

Serve the bacon roll-ups while they’re still warm, which allows the cream cheese filling to stay soft and the bacon to maintain its texture.

The warm bacon softens the filling slightly while the cheddar adds richness to each bite.