Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (1)

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Table Of Contents hide

  • Why You’ll Love This Baked Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
  • How To Make Jalapeno Poppers In The Oven
  • How Long To Cook Jalapeno Poppers?
  • Tips For The Best Jalapeno Poppers
  • Storage Instructions
  • More Easy Hot Appetizer Recipes
  • Tools To Make Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
  • Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!)

There are a million and one ways to make jalapeno popper recipes, but this easy baked jalapeno poppers recipe is my favorite! That’s because these bacon cream cheese jalapeno poppers have the bacon crumbled on top (instead of wrapping), which makes them extra crispy and also cook more quickly. With just 7 ingredients, 10 minutes of prep, and 15 minutes of patience while you wait for them to bake, they are one of the fastest crowd-pleasing appetizers for game day — or any day.

You’ll want to know how to make jalapeno poppers for fun snacks any time of year, but especially for tailgating during football season. They also make a perfect addition to an appetizer platter for any other kind of party. Pair them with other healthy appetizers like a cheese ball, easy bacon deviled eggs, spicy buffalo cauliflower, or even baked chicken wings.

Why You’ll Love This Baked Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

  • Creamy and cheesy, with zippy jalapeno taste
  • Crumbled bacon on top for amazing crunch
  • 7 simple Ingredients
  • Fast 10-minute prep, ready in 25 minutes
  • No deep frying or bread crumbs needed
  • Naturally low carb and gluten free
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (2)

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for jalapeno poppers with bacon, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

  • Jalapeno Peppers – When you prep the jalapenos, you can remove the stems if you want or leave them on. It’s totally up to you! The seeds and white ribs add extra spice, so if you prefer them a little milder, simply scoop them out while you’re prepping your jalapeños.Sometimes I also make these cream cheese jalapeno poppers with sweet mini peppers instead for my kids, since they don’t tolerate the heat of jalapeno peppers.
  • Cheddar Cheese– Shredded cheddar cheese gives this jalapeno popper recipe a classic flavor, but you can use any melting cheese you like, such as pepper jack, colby jack, or mozzarella.
  • Cream Cheese– I used full-fat plain cream cheese, but low-fat or dairy-free substitutes should also work if needed.
  • Green Onions– Make sure the green onions are sliced into small pieces, so that they don’t overpower the other ingredients.
  • Garlic– I used fresh minced garlic for the best flavor, but you could use jarred minced garlic as well. To use jarred, you will need 2 teaspoonsto equal the 2 cloves of garlic. In a pinch, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder would also work as a substitute.
  • Fresh Cilantro– Minced fresh cilantro adds an intense herby flavor. If you aren’t a fan of this fresh herb, you can simply omit it.
  • Bacon – I have a shortcut for you here — use store bought bacon bits to save time! You can lightly fry them for 1-2 minutes to crisp up before using in the recipe. But if you have time and want the tastiest results, make bacon in the oven or air fryer bacon fresh, then crumble into bits. Each slice of bacon makes about a tablespoon of bacon bits.

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (3)

VARIATION: Prefer bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers?

Use my air fryer jalapeno popper recipe to make those. You can also cook that recipe in the oven instead, using the baking time below.

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (4)

How To Make Jalapeno Poppers In The Oven

This section shows how to make bacon cream cheese jalapeno poppers, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Prep. Preheat the oven. Line abaking sheetwithparchment paperorfoil. Slice jalapenos in half and remove the ribs and seeds.
  2. Mix the filling. In a small bowl, stir/mash together cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, and garlic.
  3. Stuff the peppers. Use a small spoon to fill the jalapeno halves with the cream cheese mixture. Place onto the lined baking sheet.
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (5)
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (6)
  1. Top with bacon. Sprinkle each jalapeno popper with bacon bits, pressing lightly into the cream cheese filling to help them stick.
  2. Bake. Cook jalapeno poppers in the oven, until the peppers are soft and the bacon on top is crispy.
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (7)
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (8)

How Long To Cook Jalapeno Poppers?

At 400 degrees F, baked jalapeno poppers take just 15 minutes in the oven — perfect for when you crave something spicy in a hurry!

While this is a baked jalapeno poppers recipe, you can also make it in the air fryer if you need to keep your oven free. Make it as written and just cook in the air fryer instead (about 10 minutes at 325 degrees F), or try air fryer jalapeno poppers, which have the bacon wrapped around instead of crumbled on top.

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (9)

Tips For The Best Jalapeno Poppers

I do have a few additional tips to help you make this easy jalapeno poppers recipe even easier!

  • Wear gloves when handling jalapenos. The capsaicin in them can irritate your skin, or worse, if you touch your eyes later, it will sting like crazy. Even when using gloves, wash your hands well after you assemble the bacon cream cheese jalapeno poppers. Trust me on this one!
  • Pre-cook the bacon. Make sure your bacon is cooked first, as adding raw bacon on top won’t get crispy enough. You can make bacon in the oven, air fryer bacon, or use store-bought bacon bits as a shortcut.
  • Use room temperature cream cheese. Set your cream cheese out on the counter ahead of time, which will make it much easier to mix. If you forget, you can heat it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to soften it (be sure to unwrap it first!).
  • Use the jalapeno seeds for more heat. If you prefer more spice, include the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno peppers. Stir them into the filling mixture before stuffing it into the pepper halves.
  • Don’t toss the extra filling. The exact amount of filling you need will vary a bit depending on the size and shape of your jalapenos, but the amounts in this cream cheese jalapeno popper recipe are usually pretty spot on. If you have any extra filling left, you can use it as a spread on almond flour crackers. (Some people might even make extra just for the dip… ahem.)
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (10)

Storage Instructions

  • Store: It’s unlikely that you’ll have leftovers (I mean, who is going to leave these bacon jalapeno poppers sitting on a tray?), but if you do, you can just store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Meal prep: Make the filling and assemble your homemade jalapeno poppers recipe up to a few days ahead. Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days, then bake them when you’re ready to serve.
  • Reheat: To reheat jalapeno cream cheese poppers, put them in the oven at 350 degrees F, until warm.

Can You Freeze Jalapeno Poppers?

Yes, you can freeze jalapeno poppers. Assemble, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze until solid. (You can do this before or after baking.) Then, transfer to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer. They’ll last 1-2 months if frozen raw, or up to 4 months if frozen after baking.

To serve, arrange the frozen poppers on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F, until hot.

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (11)

More Easy Hot Appetizer Recipes

If you like this stuffed jalapeno popper recipe, you might also like some of these other easy hot appetizers:

Warm Ranch Dip

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Crab Dip Recipe

  • Baking SheetThis baking sheet is my absolute favorite, never sticks, and is made in the USA.
  • Nesting BowlsThese bowls are always getting use in my kitchen. They come in multiple sizes, stack to save space, and look great for serving, too.

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Recipe Card

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!) - Wholesome Yum (17)

4.97 from 51 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Crispy Bacon!)

Cream cheese, cheddar, crispy bacon, and jalapenos make the best easy baked jalapeno poppers recipe. Ready in 25 minutes with loads of flavor!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 12 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Recipe Video

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

  2. In a small bowl, stir/mash together the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, and garlic. (You can heat a bit if the cream cheese is too hard.)

  3. Fill the jalapeno halves with the mixture. Place onto the lined baking sheet.

  4. Top each jalapeno popper with about 1/2 tablespoon of crumbled bacon, pressing lightly into the cream cheese filling.

  5. Bake about 15 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the bacon on top is crispy.

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  • Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

  • Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

  • Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 jalapeno popper

Nutrition info is per popper, but you could easily have more as a serving.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories84

Fat7.6g

Protein2.5g

Total Carbs1.4g

Net Carbs1.1g

Fiber0.3g

Sugar0.6g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine:American

Keywords:bacon jalapeno poppers, baked jalapeno poppers, cream cheese jalapeno poppers, how to make jalapeno poppers, jalapeno poppers

Calories: 84 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Baked Jalapeno Poppers With Bacon

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FAQs

How do you get the batter to stick to jalapeño poppers? ›

A lot of recipes I found make the mistake of breading the jalapeño poppers with just a dip in milk followed by breadcrumbs, but it's hard to get a good single coat because liquids fail to stick to the pepper skin. To solve this, I do a double layer of dredging, first soaking the poppers in milk followed by flour.

What are the ingredients in TGI Fridays jalapeño poppers? ›

Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk And Cream, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Cheese Culture), Jalapeno Peppers (Contains Water, Salt, Acetic Acid, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate [Preservative]), Wheat Flour, Bleached Wheat Flour, Soybean Oil, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Sugar, Annatto Extract ( ...

What is the best main dish for jalapeño poppers? ›

These jalapeño poppers are pretty versatile — you can serve them with just about anything. They pair perfectly with other classic appetizers like nachos, chicken wings, or any kind of dip. Homemade jalapeño poppers are also a great warm-up for tailgate-style entrees, such as hot dogs or hamburgers.

How to keep cream cheese from falling out of jalapeño poppers? ›

Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. This slows the cooking time for the cream cheese helping to prevent the oozing mess! Take frozen logs out freezer and lay one in each jalapeno half. They're now ready for the grill or oven.

Why aren t my jalapeno poppers spicy? ›

"Capsaicin production is more determined by climate, soil type, amount of moisture throughout the growing season, and how long the peppers have been on the plant (there's a sweet spot for extra spicy jalapeños, just before they start ripening to red when they get milder again)," commented @soil.to.

What's in Arby's jalapeño poppers? ›

Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers are a delicious, crispy, jalapeño popper recipe that is loaded with flavor, including bacon, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions and fried to perfection.

Are jalapeño poppers Mexican food? ›

Anybody who is fond of Mexican cuisine may be familiar with a dish known as chiles rellenos, which many people see as the original inspiration for jalapeño poppers. Chiles rellenos are also a type of stuffed pepper, usually made with poblano peppers filled with a mixture of cheeses and then fried.

Why are jalapeño poppers so spicy? ›

Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their heat, is concentrated around the seeds and in the ribs. The flesh of the chile that is closer to the seeds will be hotter than the flesh near the tip.

What sauce is good with jalapeno poppers? ›

Blue cheese dressing: For those who enjoy a stronger flavor, blue cheese dressing can add a nice contrast to the mild cheese and spicy jalapenos. Marinara sauce: If you're looking for a classic dipping sauce, marinara sauce is a great choice. The tangy tomato sauce complements the melted cheese and spicy jalapenos.

What pairs well with jalapeno poppers? ›

What to Serve With Jalapeno Poppers?
  • Garlic Bread. In the mood for something fresh and crispy to eat with your jalapenos? ...
  • Nachos. Nachos are the perfect side dish for your appetizer. ...
  • Patatas Bravas. ...
  • Empanadas. ...
  • Mozzarella Sticks. ...
  • Pakoras. ...
  • French Fries. ...
  • Rice Pilaf.
Oct 19, 2022

How do you cook real good foods jalapeno poppers? ›

Perfect for those quick dinners on a summer night! Air fry at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on them since all air fryers vary! Check out our store locator to find our low carb, high protein Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños near you.

Should I flip jalapeno poppers? ›

The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Poke the toothpick into the side of the jalapeno so it makes it easy to flip in the pan. In other words, not directly into the cream cheese part. Heat the jalapeno poppers in a large frying pan for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until the bacon is browned and crispy.

Why are my jalapeno poppers soggy? ›

Jalapeno poppers can become soggy if not cooked properly. To avoid this, make sure to follow the cooking instructions closely. Bake or air-fry the poppers at the recommended temperature and time to ensure they become crispy and golden.

Do you flip jalapeno poppers on the grill? ›

To Grill. Place jalapenos on grill cut side down and grill just until bacon begins to crisp (about 6 minutes). Gently loosen bacon from the grill and flip jalapenos over. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook an additional 10-12 minutes or until bacon is cooked and cheese is melted.

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