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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
Jalapeño Poppers are the perfect party appetizer! They’re impressive to look at, simple to make, and easy to eat with a minimum amount of mess—and best of all, they’re just plain delicious!
As we head into the party season, it is time to start planning your menus and coming up with a handful of special (and easy to make) dishes that are sure to wow your guests! Jalapeño poppers are the perfect addition to any party menu; after all, who doesn’t love a mix of creamy cheese, smoky bacon, and spicy jalapeños?
For more firey party favorites, why not try my recipe for Candied Jalapeños or Chili Cheese Dip?
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: Even though they look impressive, this recipe is easy to make!
- Total Time: You can have this appetizer ready to go in just 20 minutes!
- Variations: Looking for a twist on a classic? Try switching the Cheddar out for pepper Jack! You could also mix shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie is an easy way to go), blue cheese, and buffalo sauce into your cream cheese filling for a buffalo chicken popper! Chipotles in adobo sauce and crumbled Mexican chorizo will give these poppers an extra smoky, spicy kick; and for a vegetarian option, there are plenty of veggie bacon alternatives on the market that you can use in the filling, and then you can top the cream cheese with panko breadcrumbs before baking to give everything some crunch!
- Tools For This Recipe: You will need a cheese grater, a spatula or electric hand mixer to combine your cream cheese and grated cheese, toothpicks or skewers to keep the bacon secured to your peppers, and a large baking sheet to make this recipe!
What You’ll Need for Ingredients
Jalapeño peppers: Jalapeño peppers are delicious; they’re a little floral, a little sweet, and perfect for snacking on. Karlynn’s Tip: If you want your poppers to have an extra kick, make sure to look for jalapeños with white lines (like stretch marks) on their flesh. Usually the more of these marks a chile has on it, the spicier it will be!
Cream cheese: You will need half an 8 oz block of cream cheese to make this recipe, but don’t fret! You can use the other half to make a half batch of my whipped cream cheese if you like; it’s another excellent party dish!
Bacon: I use regular bacon for this recipe, but feel free to use turkey bacon as an alternative if you’re looking to cut some calories or aren’t a fan of pork!
Cheddar: A strong cheese like an aged sharp Cheddar is excellent for this recipe! I suggest using freshly grated cheese rather than the pre-shredded stuff, as it will melt better.
How To Make Jalapeño Poppers
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Mix cream cheese and cheddar cheese together until creamy and smooth.
- Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture, then sandwich the two halves of each pepper together and wrap them with a slice of bacon. If necessary, use a toothpick to hold everything together.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is crispy, about 15 minutes.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Jalapeno Poppers
- Mind the Spice: The trick to controlling how spicy your jalapeño poppers end up is to be mindful while you’re preparing them! While you’re removing the seeds, pay attention to how much of the white membrane (or pith) that you leave behind! More membrane means more capsaicin, which means more heat!
- Pre-prep Makes Perfect: If you have the time, make sure that your cream cheese is at room temperature before you get started on this dish! It’s easier to mix and spread when it’s not fridge cold. You can also prep the filling for these poppers up to 2 days in advance so all you have to do on the day of your party is fill your peppers, wrap them in bacon, and bake!
Storage Instructions
I wouldn’t recommend freezing these poppers, as the cream cheese will separate and the peppers will get soggy when defrosted.
Refrigerator: Leftover poppers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They taste best when warmed through in an oven or toaster oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes; or if you have one, you can use the air fryer!
More Delicious Party Appetizer and Snack Recipes
- For a twist on a party classic, give my Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs a try!
- Give my primer on how to make Delicious and Easy Canapes a look if you love to have a wide variety of dainties for your guests to pick from, but don’t love the idea of spending a ton of time in the kitchen!
- For something uniquely delicious, give my Peppery Parmesan Shortbread a try! It’d go excellently alongside a charcuterie platter or cheese plate!
Jalapeño poppers are the ideal party food no matter who you have coming to celebrate! They’re easy to customize, quick to come together, and the perfect self-contained finger food! I like to serve them alongside chili dip and seasoned sour cream and watch them disappear off of the platter!
Give this recipe a try and let me know your favorite way to customize jalapeño poppers in the comments below!
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 12 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
- 12 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet.
- Mix cream cheese and cheddar cheese together until creamy and smooth. Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture. Fold up and wrap the halves together with a slice of bacon. If necessary, use a toothpick to hold the jalapeno halves together but the bacon should do the trick itself.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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