These cheese bites bring the heat with shredded Monterey Jack and plenty of pickled jalapeno pieces. Serve them with Cajun Horseradish Sauce for an addictive party snack.
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What are Rattlesnake Bites at Texas Roadhouse?
There are cheese sticks, and then there are Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites. These game-day-ready snacks take cheese sticks up a notch by rolling Monterey Jack cheese and pickled jalapenos in breadcrumbs and then frying them to a golden brown. Add the chain’s famous Cajun Horseradish Sauce, and you have something extraordinary.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy and cheesy are what this Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites recipe is all about. Although there are several recipes for Rattlesnake Bites online, the seasoning in this version delivers the authentic flavor. And since these Rattlesnake Bits freeze so well, you’ll always be minutes away from a hot, spicy, and cheesy snack.
Ingredients you will need
For the Cajun Horseradish Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites Sauce, you’ll need:
- Sour cream
- Prepared horseradish
- Chili sauce
- White sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cajun seasoning
Go with an American version of chili sauce, such as Heinz Chili Sauce, over something like Sriracha.
Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning works well, but you can use your favorite.
For the Rattlesnake Bites Texas Roadhouse style cheese sticks, you’ll need:
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Pickled jalapeno peppers
- All-purpose flour
- Seasoned salt
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Egg
- Whole milk
- Plain bread crumbs
- Canola or vegetable oil for frying
Lawry’s is a good brand, but you can use another basic seasoned salt here.
Pre-shredded cheese typically contains an anti-clumping additive that prevents the cheese from melting smoothly. Shred it yourself to get better results.
How to make Rattlesnake Bites like Texas Roadhouse
To prepare the Cajun Horseradish sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, prepared horseradish, chili sauce, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Cajun seasoning.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To form the cheese balls for the Rattlesnake Bites Texas Roadhouse style:
- Finely shred the Monterey Jack into a large bowl.
- Finely chop the pickled jalapenos and add to the bowl with the shredded cheese.
- Mix well and set to the side.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Reserve.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape cheese mixture into well-compressed one-inch balls.
- Coat them in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess and place onto the parchment-lined baking tray.
- Freeze the floured cheese balls for at least 30 minutes.
To bread and fry the Rattlesnake Bites:
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Place the bowl of egg mixture next to a separate bowl of breadcrumbs.
- Dip a frozen cheese ball into the egg mixture and then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Set the breaded Bite on a wire rack to rest. Repeat with the remaining cheese balls.
- Pour at least two inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer.
- If you are using a pot, attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side.
- Heat over medium-high until the oil temperature reaches 350°F.
- Set a clean wire rack over a rimmed baking tray and set it near where you are frying.
- Fry the breaded Bites in small batches until golden brown, about three to four minutes.
- Use a spider to remove the Bites from the oil and place them on the wire rack to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining cheese balls. Serve hot.
What to serve with Rattlesnake Bites
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites go well with a variety of sauces and other appetizers such as:
- Dipping sauces. In addition to the Cajun Horseradish Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites Sauce, you can offer your guests other options like ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, sriracha aioli, and sweet chili sauce.
- Chicken wings. Chicken wings go with just about anything. Try pairing Rattlesnake Bites with Cajun Wings and Hot Wings to keep it spicy, or give your tongue a break with Garlic-Parmesan Wings and Honey BBQ Wings.
- Fresh fruit. Cool things down and add a bit of sweetness to your snack table with a platter of fresh-cut fruit and a couple of fruit-friendly dips. Lemon curd goes great with less tart fruits like mango, pears, and apples. Jason’s Deli Fruit Dip pairs well with just about any fruit, and it is a snap to make.
How to store Rattlesnake Bites
To store your leftover Rattlesnake Bites, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to three days. You can freeze them for up to a month. If freezing, prevent them from clumping by spreading the Bites on a parchment-lined tray and freezing for 3–4 hours before transferring them to a freezer-safe container.
What is the best way to reheat them?
To avoid soggy Bites, heat in an air fryer. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can use the oven:
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F or oven to 375°F.
- Heat the bites for 5 minutes (8-10 if frozen) in the air fryer. In the oven, cook them on a baking tray for 10 minutes (or 12-16 if frozen). Flip them halfway through the cooking time.
More Texas Roadhouse copycat recipes
- Texas Roadhouse Butter
- Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
- Texas Roadhouse Roadkill
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice
- Texas Roadhouse Smothered Chicken
Favorite fried appetizer recipes
- Bloomin Fried Shrimp
- Fried Cheese Curds
- Fried Jalapeno Poppers
- Fried Mozzarella
- Fried Mushrooms
- Fried Pickles
- Fried Zucchini Chips
Check out more of my easy appetizer recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes on CopyKat!
Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites
Ingredients
Cajun Horseradish Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons chili sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
Rattlesnake Bites
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese block cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons finely diced pickled jalapeño peppers
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Instructions
- To make the Cajun horseradish sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- To make the Rattlesnake Bites, first combine the flour and spices in a small bowl and stir until the mixture is uniform. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the shredded cheese and pickled jalapeños. Shape the cheese mixture into 1-inch balls, squeezing tightly to compress.
- Dip the cheese balls into the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat a deep fryer to 350°F.
- In a shallow bowl combine the egg and milk. Mix well. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl.
- Dip the floured cheese balls into the egg and milk mixture and then into the breadcrumbs. Place the cheese balls back onto the cookie sheet and freeze until the oil is hot.
- Fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack and serve with Cajun horseradish sauce.
Cat
Regular breadcrumbs or panko? Thank you.
Stephanie Manley
Please use regular bread crumbs.