Crispy fried pimento cheese balls are crunchy on the outside, melty on the inside, and absolutely not responsible for any sudden obsessions that may occur. One bite and you’re questioning all your life choices—like why you haven’t been frying pimento cheese this whole time.
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 🔪 How to make pimento cheese balls: instructions for success
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat pimento cheese balls
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
The South didn’t invent cheese, but we sure as heck perfected what to do with it. And if you think pimento cheese is good on a cracker, just wait until you deep-fry it into crispy, golden bite-sized bliss. Go ahead, y'all—resistance is futile.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- Fried pimento cheese balls are creamy, crispy, and cheesy, with just the right kick to make your taste buds holler for more!
- Serve ‘em up as a party appetizer, tailgate snack, or, heck, toss them on a salad for a sinful topping twist.
- You gotta freeze the balls of cheese before breading and frying them—otherwise, you’ll have a hot mess on your hands!
If you’re a fan of anything fried and fabulous, this crispy fried pimento cheese ball recipe will knock your socks off!
They’ve got gooey, tangy pimento cheese on the inside and a crunchy, golden crust on the outside—basically, everything you could ever want in a bite-sized appetizer.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 How to make pimento cheese balls: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Roll the pimento cheese into small balls and freeze them.
Coat the frozen cheese balls in flour, then the beaten eggs.
Roll the battered cheese balls in panko breadcrumbs.
Fry in batches in 350-degree F oil until golden brown.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- I like to use a small cookie scoop to shape the cheese, so it’s all the same size. It’s easier than doing it by hand!
- If you try to roll room-temperature pimento, you’re gonna make a mess. Let the cheese balls firm up in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before battering them.
- Keep your oil hot (350-360F), but not Texas-in-August hot. (If it's too cool, the cheese balls will soak up the grease. Too hot, and they’ll burn before the inside gets melty.)
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—otherwise, the oil temperature will drop too much, and the pimento cheese balls will get soggy.
- Drain the fried cheese balls for a few minutes before devouring them. Letting them sit in oil will make them soggy—that’s simply unacceptable!
- Prefer airfrying? That's all good—brush the pimento cheese balls with oil and cook at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or 'til crisp!
Marye's Tip o' the day
To minimize mess, roll the cheese balls in flour with one hand and coat them in beaten egg with the other. Then, roll the cheese balls into the breadcrumbs using the floured hand.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Feel free to add crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, or fresh herbs to the cheese mixture, but do so sparingly. (The cheese will not hold its shape if you mix in too many other ingredients.)
- Try a mixture of pimento, Gouda, sharp white cheddar, or pepper Jack to switch things up.
- Add some smoked paprika for a deeper flavor, or turn up the heat with a dash of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper.
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
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You’ll need four mixing bowls: one for the cheese mixture, one for flour, one for egg, and one for breadcrumbs.
If you don't have a deep fryer, a Dutch oven, heavy-duty pot, or large cast iron skillet works great. You want something that holds heat well and prevents oil from splattering everywhere.
Oil temperature is key! Use a candy or instant-read thermometer to ensure your oil stays at 350 degrees F.
A slotted spoon or metal tongs help you remove those golden brown beauties from the hot oil without bringing half of the grease with them.
Use paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess grease.
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat pimento cheese balls
If, by some miracle, you have leftovers (doubtful), pop them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
To reheat, throw ‘em in a 375-degree F oven or air fryer for 5-7 minutes. Microwaving is a no-go unless you like sad and soggy.
To freeze, let your cheese balls cool down to room temperature, then flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Transfer them to a freezer bag or an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
To reheat frozen cheese balls, bake them in a 375-degree F oven or air fryer for 5-7 minutes.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up
I like using homemade pimento cheese but you can use store-bought as well.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yes, you can. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees F, cook them for 8-10 minutes, and shake the basket halfway through.
Sure can! Just roll ‘em, coat ‘em, and freeze ‘em until you’re ready to fry. However, be sure to shake off any ice crystals that have formed so they don't splatter in the hot oil.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Prep the cheese balls a day or two in advance. Dredge and bread the chilled balls, then flash-freeze them and store them in an airtight container to fry later. Just add an extra 1-2 minutes of frying time.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
This copycat Red Robin campfire sauce is one of my favorite dips to serve with pimento cheese balls!
Love pimento cheese? Try this pimento cheese mac and cheese!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Crispy Fried Pimento Cheese Balls
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup pimento cheese, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, (for extra crunch!)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Shape
- Scoop & freeze: Roll the pimento cheese into small balls (about 1-inch in size) and place them on a lined baking sheet.
- Freeze for 30-60 minutes until firm.
Set up the breading station: In three separate bowls:
- Bowl 1: Flour
- Bowl 2: Beaten eggs
- Bowl 3: Panko, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper
To make pimento cheese balls
- Bread the cheese balls: Dip each frozen pimento cheese ball in flour, then egg, then panko mixture—pressing gently to coat well.
- Fry: Heat oil to 350°F (medium-high heat). Fry in small batches for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Drain & serve: Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve hot with ranch,spicy mayo, or your favorite dipping sauce!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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