Pimiento Cheese With Pickles Is the Two-Ingredient Snack Your Party's Been Missing

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Every Southern host knows to always have a few staples on hand to throw together a bite for drop-in guests. Grandma taught us that cream cheese and pepper jelly are the ultimate appetizer duo, and I've shared before that goat cheese and fig preserves are a close second in my house. But there's another two-ingredient combo we've been sleeping on when it comes to at-home happy hour. There are two Southern-favorite ingredients that make perfect sense together, but you may have never thought about it. We know pimiento cheese and pickles are both hanging out in your refrigerator, so set them up and get the party started.

In a recent Snapchat episode of Hey Y'all, host Ivy Odom showed viewers how she likes to enjoy this snack. Start by spreading your go-to pimiento cheese, whether homemade or store-bought, on a cracker. Top it with a pickle slice, and voila! Ivy prefers using sweet-and-spicy pickles, like the beloved Southern brand Wickles, for the best flavor combination.

"I especially love the spicy bread and butter pickle and pimiento cheese combo!" she says. "Dill is great too, but something about the spicy sweet kick pairs perfectly. I think it's just the creamy rich taste of the cheese that is cut by the tangy pickle that makes it a winner."

Once you try this pairing, you will have no choice but to agree! Serve the ingredients separately for friends to make their own pimiento-pickle bites or pre-prepare them for easy grab-and-go presentation.

If you're looking to jazz up this flavor match and have a little extra time on your hands, our Pimiento Pickle Poppers are just what you need. Like your favorite jalape?o poppers with a super-Southern twist, this two-bite appetizer starts with baby dill pickles.

Recipe: Pimiento Pickle Poppers

Though our Pimiento Pickle Poppers are a fun way to showcase this flavor couple, unlike pimiento cheese and pickles on a cracker, they take some prep work. If you're looking for a last-minute snack that was made for happy hour, try this simple recipe that we bet you already have on hand.

Try this appetizer out with one of our tried-and-true pimiento cheese variations:

Recipe: Southern Pimiento Cheese

Recipe: Horseradish Pimiento Cheese

Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese

Recipe: White Cheddar-Chive Pimiento Cheese

Recipe: Our Favorite Pimiento Cheese