Crack Burgers Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on Aug 19, 2026 I’ve made plenty of loaded burgers over the years, but these Crack Burgers have quickly become one of my favorites! I mix ground beef with ranch seasoning, shredded cheddar, smoky bacon, Panko, and eggs to create juicy patties that hold together beautifully while still giving me plenty of melty cheese in every bite. I love that they’re easy enough for a 30-minute weeknight dinner but just as fun to throw on the grill for a summer cookout.
It should be obvious that I’m not talking about that crack… But in case you are wanting a little clarity, when a recipe is called “crack” it usually means there is bacon, cheese, and ranch seasoning mixed in it. This combination of flavors is considered so delicious that it’ll make you have addictive cravings. To make my crack burgers recipe the best, if I do say so myself, I’ve taken my famous hamburger patty recipe and doctored it with ranch dip mix for herb essence, chopped bacon for salty fatty goodness, and shredded cheddar cheese that melts inside the patty. These cheesy burgers are simple to make, but hard to resist!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Oh, That Flavor – The combination of herby ranch, smoky bacon, and rich cheddar cheese, is in a word, incredible. I don’t think I need to say anything more here!
Quick and Easy – The patties are packed with “special” goodies like chopped bacon and shredded cheese, but are just as easy to make as traditional hamburgers. I make the bacon ahead of time, so even with that tiny extra bit of prep work the burgers can still be made in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
All Dressed Up… Or Not – I load the crack burger patties onto fluffy brioche buns, and pile them up with extra cheese melted over the top, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a zesty sauce. And sometimes I like to dress them with the same toppings as my delicious cowboy burger recipe, too. But there’s so much flavor in the patties, you can even serve them as-is on a good ‘ol fashioned white hamburger bun!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Ground beef – I find an 80/20 fat ratio to the best for making burgers. The fattiness helps hold the ground beef together and keeps the patties moist when chargrilled.
- Shredded cheddar – I recommend shredding the cheddar fresh off the block versus buying bagged shredded cheese, which has anti-caking ingredients added.
- Bacon – I cook the bacon in the oven ahead of time so it’s ready to use. In a pinch, you can use pre-cooked store-bought bacon pieces.
- Eggs – Eggs act as the binder to hold the burgers together, 1 egg per pound of meat. I set my eggs on the counter and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before using. Cold eggs take longer to cook, and can mess up the cooking time.
- Panko – I love how light and crisp panko breadcrumbs are as a binder. However, plain breadcrumbs work just as well! Just reduce the amount by half!
- Seasonings – I let packaged ranch dip mix to do the heavy lifting here seasonings-wise. Then I just add a bit of extra cracked black pepper for an extra punch of flavor!
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Add the Ingredients – I start by cleaning my hands and get out a large mixing bowl. First I add ground beef, followed (in no particular order) by the powdered ranch dip mix, shredded cheese, chopped cooked bacon, eggs, Panko breadcrumbs, and ground black pepper.
Mix to Combine – With damp hands, I gently “fluff” the ingredients together… By that I mean I scoop under the beef with two hands, and kind of shake them around as I work my way up through the ingredients. The goal is to get the ingredients well dispersed without just mixing out of the gate.
When the ingredients are pretty well distributed, then I use my hands to work it all together more to fully incorporate, but without smooshing or mixing smooth.
Divide – Next, I carefully press the crack burger mixture down into the bowl to create an even layer on top. Again, be gentle… Compacting the hamburger mixture too much will cause the patties to be dense.
Then I use a knife to divide the beef in the bowl into 6-8 even-sized triangles, like how you’d divide a pizza.
Make the Patties – I get out a baking pan or other large plate, and line it with foil or parchment paper. Then I use my hands to scoop each section of the ground beef mixture one-by-one, and gently form them into round patties. They should be slightly larger than a hamburger bun (the burgers will shrink as they cook) and about 1-inch thick. I place them on the foil or parchment as I go, and lightly press an indentation in the top of each patty. It might seem odd, but this one little step helps the burgers stay flat when they cook… Otherwise, the very bottom of the hamburgers cook faster than the rounded sides.
Cook the Burgers – Next, I place a large cast iron skillet, or griddle, on the stovetop over medium heat. Alternatively, you can cook crack burgers on the grill… Keep in mind, there is cheese inside the patty which can make them hard to flip if you’re cooking on an outdoor grill. They taste amazing grilled, but for easier flipping, I do recommend cooking indoors.
Whichever method you use, cook the patties for approximately 4-5 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes until the burgers have reached your desired level of doneness. I like my cheeseburgers at a beautiful medium cook, about 140-150 degrees internal temperature, with a slightly pink center. Therefore, I stick closer to the 4 minute mark. Cook them for 5-6 minutes if you prefer your burgers medium-well, which is more like 150-155 degrees in the middle.
As soon as they reach that perfect temp with a gorgeous brown sear on both sides, transfer the patties to a holding plate and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices time to settle back into the meat, and firms up the cheese slightly so it doesn’t goop out all over the place.
Expert Tips
Don’t over mix – I stop working the raw meat mixture as soon as the ingredients are totally incorporated. Over-working the ground beef makes the patties a little tough. Also, the ground beef will be sticky, so I keep my hands lightly wet while I’m mixing and forming the patties.
Don’t squish – I know there’s that thing in our brains that tells us to smoosh burgers with the back of a spatula while they’re cooking. Don’t! It’s a bad idea to press any burgers with a spatula because it squishes the juices right out of the meat. This is especially true when making crack burgers with ooey-gooey cheese that will ooze out.
Don’t over cook – The melty cheese throughout the burgers does help keep them super moist when cooking. Even still, I don’t recommend grilling them for more than 5 minutes per side to get a beautiful medium cook on the inside.
Serving Suggestions
Because there is already cheddar cheese and bacon inside crack the burgers, you really don’t have to add anything else to enjoy a fabulously flavorful cheeseburger. However, I like to go all-in with my burgers (as you might have noticed) so I load them up with more melty cheese and my favorite traditional toppings like lettuce, tomato slices, bread and butter pickles, and homemade burger sauce or barbecue sauce. Have extra bacon? Add it on there, too!
For the ultimate better-than-fast-food experience I pile the patties onto sesame seed buns with shredded iceberg lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and my copycat McDonald’s Big Mac sauce.
Speaking of addictive, you definitely want to serve a large basket of can’t-eat-just-one french fries with these crack burgers. Deep fried homemade fries are my personal weakness! I also have fantastic recipes for lighter baked french fries and crispy shoestring fries for you to try.
Storage Notes
Cooked burger patties store well for several days. I let them cool before placing in an airtight container, then store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
They are also great to freeze! After cooling, wrap them individually in a layer of plastic wrap, then place them all together in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Frozen crack burgers will keep well for up to 2 months. Then thaw however many you need in the fridge overnight.
I usually reheat burgers in the microwave to keep them from drying out too much. Wrap each one in a slightly damp paper towel, then microwave one at a time for 10 to 15-second bursts at 50% power. I do low and slow reheating to keep the patties from overcooking and shrinking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Over mixing the ground beef, bacon, ranch mix, and cheese will make the patties fall apart. Take care to combine everything well but not until smooth.
Sure! Use this basic crack burgers recipe to make smash burgers by either cutting the ingredients here in half (so just 1 pound of beef) or use the same ingredients but double the number of patties (so 12-16 burger patties). Then follow the cooking steps in my double smash burger recipe!
Help Me Spread the Word about this Fabulous Free Recipe! Sharing this recipe link on Pinterest and Facebook is super impactful, and I greatly appreciate it! Find the share buttons below the recipe form.
More Burger Recipes
Crack Burgers Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 packets ranch dip mix
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked chopped bacon
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6-8 hamburger buns
- Your choice of hamburger garnishes
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the ranch dip mix, cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, eggs, Panko breadcrumbs, and ground black pepper. Use your hands to break up the ground beef and sort of "fluff" the ingredients together without pressing them down. This helps distribute the ingredients before you fully mix it. Then use your hands to press the meat mixture together gently. You don't want to press it hard, or the patties will be tough.
- Divide the meat mixture into 6 to 8 equal portions for the patties. Then shape each portion into a patty slightly wider than the size of the hamburger buns. Press a light invention in the top of each patty. *This helps them to stay flat while cooking.
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet (or the grill) to medium heat, about 350°F.
- Once hot, place the patties in the skillet (or on the grill) for approximately 4-5 minutes per side. *There is cheese inside the patty which can make them hard to flip if you’re cooking on an outdoor grill. They taste amazing grilled, but for easier flipping, cook indoors.
- Move the hot patties to the hamburger buns, garnish, and serve!
