Pimento Cheese Recipes: 13 Southern Party Bites Grandma Made Ahead, From Hot Skillet Dip to Deviled Eggs

Pimento cheese recipes were the secret weapon in every Southern grandma’s fridge, a tub of orange spread ready from Thanksgiving week straight through New Year’s Day. She stirred it up on a quiet weeknight, and by the time company knocked, it had turned into hot skillet dip, deviled eggs, sausage balls and little sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Some call it the pate of the South, and some old cookbooks spell it pimiento, but nobody argues about how fast it disappears. The history of pimento cheese runs from early 1900s grocery shelves to church fellowship halls. These 13 pimento cheese recipes start with one simple base and stretch it into a full holiday spread. Make the cheese once, then build your party bites one by one..

Pimento Cheese Recipes Start Here: Baked Hot Skillet Dip

Pull a skillet of bubbling pimento cheese from the oven and the entire kitchen goes quiet. The top browns, the edges sizzle, and every cracker comes up with a long cheesy pull. This is the one guests crowd around first, so set it near the door. It sits right alongside our hot, cheesy party dips, but it bakes in twenty minutes. Stir the cheese a day ahead, spoon it into the pan in the morning, and bake it when the doorbell rings. Of all the pimento cheese recipes on this list, this is the one people ask about first..

You will need: 2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded; 1 cup Monterey Jack, shredded; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; one 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; pinch of cayenne; sliced green onions; crackers or toasted baguette for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet. 2. Stir the cheeses, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, garlic powder and cayenne until well blended. 3. Spread in the skillet and bake 18 to 22 minutes, until bubbly and browned on top. 4. Scatter green onions over the dip and serve hot with crackers.

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

Two Southern classics on one plate, and one of the easiest pimento cheese recipes to start with. Mash a big spoonful of pimento cheese into the yolks and the filling turns creamy, tangy and a little sharp, with flecks of red in every bite. The egg plate is always the first one empty at a church supper, and this version empties even faster. If you love a deviled egg tray, browse our plate that empties first for more fillings. Boil the eggs the day before and pipe them an hour before guests arrive. A dusting of paprika on top makes them look like you fussed.

You will need: 12 large eggs, hard-cooked and peeled; 3/4 cup pimento cheese; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 tsp yellow mustard; 1 tsp pickle juice; salt and pepper; paprika and chopped chives for garnish.

How to make it: 1. Halve the eggs lengthwise and pop the yolks into a bowl. 2. Mash the yolks with the pimento cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and pickle juice until smooth, then season. 3. Pipe or spoon the filling into the whites. 4. Dust with paprika, sprinkle with chives and chill until serving.

Fried Pimento Cheese Bites With Pepper Jelly

Crunchy on the outside, molten in the middle, this is one of those pimento cheese recipes that feels like a state fair treat. Roll cold pimento cheese into balls, freeze them firm, then bread and fry until golden. The trick is the freezer: the cheese stays put while the crust gets crisp. Serve them hot with a bowl of red pepper jelly, the sweet heat Southern hosts set out all season, like the bites in our sweet-heat party bites. You can roll and bread the balls a week ahead and keep them in the freezer, then fry straight from frozen. They vanish so fast it pays to make a double batch.

You will need: 2 cups cold pimento cheese; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs; vegetable oil for frying; red pepper jelly for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Scoop the cheese into 1-inch balls and freeze 1 hour. 2. Roll each ball in flour, dip in egg, then press into panko; repeat egg and panko for a sturdy crust. 3. Freeze 30 minutes more. 4. Fry at 350 F for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden, drain on paper towels and serve with pepper jelly.

Pimento Cheese Recipes With a Kick: Jalapeno Poppers

Swap the usual cream cheese filling for pimento cheese and jalapeno poppers suddenly taste like a Southern cookout. The cheddar browns in the oven, the peppers soften, and the heat stays gentle once you scrape out the seeds. Line them up on a sheet pan and they look like a party before you even set them out. For more stuffed pepper ideas, our cheesy party favorites has a dozen more. Stuff the halves the night before, cover tightly, and bake them as the first guests pull into the driveway.

You will need: 12 large jalapenos, halved lengthwise and seeded; 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup crushed buttery crackers; 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with foil. 2. Beat the pimento cheese with the cream cheese until smooth. 3. Fill each pepper half and sprinkle with cracker crumbs and bacon. 4. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the tops are golden.

Pimento Cheese Sausage Balls

Christmas morning in a lot of Southern houses smells like sausage balls, and they rank high among make-ahead pimento cheese recipes. Stirring pimento cheese into the classic mix makes them extra tender, with a little tang and those red flecks that say holiday. Mix everything with your hands, roll a big batch, and freeze half for New Year’s. If your family already has a favorite version, compare it with our one pound of sausage classics. Bake them straight from the freezer and add five extra minutes. Set the platter out and watch the kids circle back again and again.

You will need: 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, uncooked; 2 cups baking mix; 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese; 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded; 1/4 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line two sheet pans with parchment. 2. Mix all the ingredients with your hands until evenly combined. 3. Roll into 1-inch balls and set them on the pans. 4. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until browned and cooked through, then cool 5 minutes before serving.

Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwiches Cut Into Triangles

This is the grilled cheese grandma made when the cousins came in from the cold, and it may be the most comforting of all pimento cheese recipes. Pimento cheese melts better than sliced cheese because the mayonnaise keeps it creamy, and the bread turns deep golden in a buttered skillet. Cut each one into four triangles and pile them on a board for a party, or serve them uncut for a quick supper. It belongs with the Southern holiday classics that never go out of style. Add a slice of tomato or a few pickles inside if you like a little crunch.

You will need: 8 slices sturdy white or sourdough bread; 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese; 3 tbsp softened butter; thin tomato slices or bread-and-butter pickles (optional).

How to make it: 1. Spread pimento cheese thickly on four slices of bread and top with the rest. 2. Butter the outsides. 3. Cook in a skillet over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden and melted. 4. Rest 1 minute, then cut each sandwich into four triangles.

Pimento Cheese Recipes for the Centerpiece: Pecan Cheese Ball

Shape the spread into a ball, roll it in toasted pecans, and it becomes the centerpiece of the appetizer table. The pecans add crunch and a buttery, roasty flavor that plays nicely with sharp cheddar. Firm it up overnight so it holds its shape when people start digging in. We have a dozen more retro ideas in our holiday cheese ball collection, but this one is the Southern answer. Set it on a wooden board with crackers and celery sticks, and tuck a spreader on the side so nobody has to ask.

You will need: 2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; one 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped; crackers and celery for serving.

How to make it: 1. Beat the cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos and Worcestershire until well mixed. 2. Scrape onto plastic wrap, shape into a ball and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. 3. Roll the cold ball in the chopped pecans, pressing so they stick. 4. Let it stand 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Pimento Cheese Recipes for Showers: Crustless Tea Sandwiches

No bridal shower, funeral luncheon or Christmas open house in the South is complete without a tray of these little sandwiches. Soft white bread, a thin layer of pimento cheese, crusts trimmed clean, cut into neat triangles or fingers. They look dainty, but they disappear by the handful. Make them up to four hours ahead and keep them under a damp paper towel so the bread stays soft. If you like party food you can finish early, try our make-ahead party bites too. Mix in a few cucumber or ham sandwiches for color on the plate.

You will need: 16 slices soft white or wheat sandwich bread; 2 cups pimento cheese; 2 tbsp softened butter; thin cucumber slices or shaved ham (optional).

How to make it: 1. Butter each slice of bread very thinly to keep it from getting soggy. 2. Spread pimento cheese on half the slices and top with the rest. 3. Trim the crusts with a serrated knife. 4. Cut into triangles or three fingers, cover with a damp paper towel and chill until serving.

Pimento Cheese Phyllo Cups

Store-bought mini phyllo shells turn pimento cheese into a fancy two-bite appetizer in about fifteen minutes. The shells shatter, the cheese warms just enough to soften, and a sprinkle of chives makes them look catered. Fill them cold for a no-bake tray or warm them for five minutes for a melty version. You will find twenty more fillings in our two-bite party snacks gallery. Keep a box of shells in the pantry all season and you will always have a party tray ready. They pair beautifully with a dot of pepper jelly on top.

You will need: 30 frozen mini phyllo shells, thawed; 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese; 2 tbsp diced pimentos for garnish; 2 tbsp chopped chives; pepper jelly (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and set the shells on a sheet pan. 2. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons of pimento cheese into each shell. 3. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, just until warm, or serve cold. 4. Top with diced pimento, chives and a small dot of pepper jelly if you like.

Pimento Cheese Recipes in the Cookie Tin: Crisp Cheese Wafers

Southern grandmothers kept a tin of cheese wafers next to the cookies every December, and pimento cheese makes the easiest version yet. The dough comes together in one bowl, rolls into a log, and slices into thin coins that bake up crisp and golden. A pinch of cayenne gives them a gentle warmth. If you love that buttery, savory snap, our homemade cheese straws come from the same family tree. Freeze the logs for up to two months and slice off a batch whenever company calls. Pack them in tins for easy hostess gifts.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese, well chilled; 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed; 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp cayenne; 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional).

How to make it: 1. Pulse the pimento cheese, butter, flour, salt and cayenne in a food processor until a dough forms. 2. Stir in the pecans, shape into two 1 1/2-inch logs, wrap and chill 2 hours. 3. Heat the oven to 350 F, slice the logs 1/4 inch thick and set on parchment. 4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden at the edges, then cool on a rack.

Pimento Cheese Drop Biscuits

No rolling pin, no biscuit cutter, no stress. Breakfast pimento cheese recipes do not get easier than this. Fold pimento cheese into a quick buttermilk dough, drop spoonfuls into a buttered skillet, and bake until the tops are craggy and golden. The cheese melts into little pockets, and the pimentos give each biscuit a pop of color. Serve them warm with butter at breakfast or split and fill them with country ham for a party. For more morning favorites, see our biscuit, gravy and grits classics. Mix the dry ingredients the night before and you are ten minutes from the oven.

You will need: 2 cups self-rising flour; 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed; 1 cup pimento cheese, cold; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 450 F and butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet. 2. Cut the butter into the flour until crumbly, then stir in the pimento cheese and buttermilk just until moistened. 3. Drop 12 heaping spoonfuls into the skillet, close together. 4. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until golden, then brush with melted butter and serve warm.

Classic Pimento Cheese and Crackers, the Way It Began

Every one of these pimento cheese recipes starts here: sharp cheddar, mayonnaise and a jar of pimentos, stirred together in a bowl. Grate the cheese yourself, because bagged shreds are coated and never get as creamy. Some families add grated onion, some add a splash of pickle juice, and some swear by a pinch of sugar. Spread it on crackers and celery, and you have the snack grandma kept ready for anyone who dropped by. Set it next to the retro crocks in our party crocks gallery. It keeps a week in the fridge and tastes better on day two.

You will need: 8 oz extra-sharp cheddar, freshly grated; 4 oz sharp white cheddar, freshly grated; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; one 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 tsp smoked paprika; black pepper; crackers and celery for serving.

How to make it: 1. Grate both cheeses into a large bowl. 2. Stir in the mayonnaise, pimentos, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper. 3. Mash with a fork until it holds together but still has texture. 4. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, then serve with crackers and celery.

Pimento Cheese Recipes Done Light: Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

Bright red, orange and yellow mini peppers make the prettiest platter on the table, and they need no cooking at all. Halve them, scoop out the seeds, and fill each one with pimento cheese. The crisp, sweet pepper is the perfect match for the rich, tangy cheese, and the colors look festive from across the room. They are the kind of easy bite that fits right in with our make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers. Fill them the morning of the party, cover and chill, then sprinkle with parsley and paprika just before serving.

You will need: 1 lb mini sweet peppers, halved and seeded; 1 1/2 cups pimento cheese; chopped parsley; smoked paprika.

How to make it: 1. Halve the peppers lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and ribs. 2. Spoon or pipe pimento cheese into each half. 3. Arrange on a platter, cover and chill up to 6 hours. 4. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika right before serving.