By: Jill Mills Updated: May 20, 2024

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Loaded Cheese Fries with crispy bacon, melted cheese, and a delicious homemade jalapeno ranch – a favorite side dish or shareable appetizer.

The Best Cheese Fries Recipe

This is a quick and easy appetizer recipe to prepare that the whole family will love. It’s a great way to jazz up frozen French fries sitting in your freezer. Kids love fries so if you are stumped on what to make them for dinner, this also makes a great side dish. With the melty cheese and crispy bacon, it’s filling, too! My boys always ask for this by name, and I don’t mind making it because I enjoy it, too. Similar to our loaded tater tots.

Why You’ll Love These Cheese Fries

Budget-friendly. This is a very inexpensive recipe that is ideal for even a tight budget.
Kid approved. Your kiddos are going to devour these bacon cheese fries.
Customizable recipe. Switch up the toppings to please the whole family!

What You’ll Need

Below you will find all of the ingredients needed to make bacon cheesy fries and the homemade jalapeno ranch dressing. I love the ranch but if it isn’t your style, you can skip it and make something else like Fry Sauce or plain Homemade Ranch Dressing.

For the fries

Frozen French fries: You can use any kind of fries that you want. I chose crinkle cuts because they are a family favorite.
Bacon: I cooked and chopped bacon because I love the flavor and texture. Any variety is great including hickory and applewood.
Colby jack cheese: Shredded colby jack has great flavor without being overpowering and it melts so well. It’s my favorite cheese for fries, but feel free to use cheddar cheese.
Jalapenos: These are listed twice because some are reserved as garnish for the cheese fries.

For the jalapeno ranch

Sour cream: This is the creamy base for the homemade dipping sauce. It’s rich and tangy and balances out the other ingredients.
Jalapenos: I like to use fresh jalapenos for their flavor and texture. Pickled jalapenos are fine as well, just pat them dry before use.
Lime juice: Fresh squeezed lime juice adds the perfect amount of zing.
Seasonings: I add salt, onion powder, and garlic powder to the homemade ranch as well. These simple spices add just the right amount of flavor.
Cilantro: I love fresh cilantro but you can leave it out if you prefer.

How to Make Bacon Cheese Fries

This recipe is so incredibly simple to make! Since the fries are frozen, it’s so convenient! Below you will find instructions for the rich and spicy jalapeno ranch, too.

Prepare oven and baking sheet. Preheat the oven to the temperature listed on the bag of frozen fries and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
Bake the fries. Arrange the fries in an even layer and cook according to the package directions.
Cook the bacon. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up excess grease.

Fries on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Make the jalapeno ranch. Add all of the ingredients listed for the ranch to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Add cheese and bacon to the fries. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the cooked fries, followed by the bacon.
Melt the cheese. Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and place the pan back into the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Crushed garlic and jalapeno pepper in a food processor.

Jalapemo ranch sauce in a food processor.

Sprinkle jalapenos and drizzle ranch. Sprinkle extra diced jalapeno on top for a garnish and a drizzle of the homemade jalapeno ranch (or serve it on the side).
Add more toppings and serve. Make loaded cheese fries by garnishing with additional toppings such as sliced green onions or sour cream if desired and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions for Cheese Fries

These bacon cheese fries serve as a yummy side dish with foods like Crispy Chicken Tenders, BBQ Beef Sandwich, and Big Bac Sliders.

Tips and Variations

Cheese: if you prefer a creamier cheese, make our delicious homemade cheese sauce.
Take some more shortcuts: Choose pickled jalapenos and leave them as slices for the garnish, use precooked bacon bits, skip the ranch sauce, and use your favorite dressing. These shortcuts can save time and ingredients if you prefer.
Make it in the air fryer: Make these cheese fries in the air fryer instead. Refer to the package of frozen fries for temperature and cooking time.
Use homemade fries: Make the French fries yourself and use them for this dish if you prefer!

Storage Directions

Store leftover bacon cheese fries in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until warm. I don’t recommend using the microwave because it makes the fries soggy.

Bacon Cheese Fries