Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
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Halved jalapeño peppers are served stuffed with a spiced cream cheese and cheddar mixture. While some iterations of this game day favorite, bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers are battered and fried, I wrap them in slices of bacon and bake them until the bacon is crispy and the cheese filling is hot and gooey. It’s the perfect balance of all things spicy, creamy and crispy wrapped into one appetizer!
I recommend wearing gloves when cutting jalapeño peppers. If you happen to get any of the Capsaicin (the chemical that makes peppers spicy) on your hands, soaking them in milk helps!
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Jalapeños – Jalapeños range between 2,000 to 5,000 Scoville units (SHU). The longer the pepper has been left on the vine, and the more lines on the pepper, the hotter it will be. Removing the seeds and membrane helps to remove a majority of the heat but leaves you with a good flavor. Look for similar size jalapeños about 3-4 inches in length, as smaller peppers will be harder to stuff.
- Bacon – I don’t recommend using thick-cut bacon for this recipe because it can be difficult to wrap around the individual pieces of jalapeño. Thick-cut bacon also has fewer pieces per pound and will not have enough pieces needed for the number of stuffed jalapeños. I par-cook the bacon in the oven so some of the fat renders and the bacon is still pliable when it’s wrapped. This cuts down on the baking time later and results in the best jalapeño poppers.
- Cream cheese – The cream cheese should be left at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour so that it blends with the other filling ingredients easier.
- Cheddar cheese – I combine Cheddar cheese with the cream cheese for a gooey, extra cheesy filling.
- Spices – Seasoning the filling with garlic powder, onion powder and paprika adds a flavor boost.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Step 1: Par-bake the bacon.
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add slices of bacon in an even single layer. Bake the bacon until some of the fat has rendered and it’s pliable, about 8 minutes. Set aside and keep the oven on.
Step 2: Make the cream cheese mixture.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Blend or stir until combined.
Step 3: Prep the jalapeños.
Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a paring knife or spoon and discard.
Step 4: Fill poppers and wrap with a piece of bacon.
Spoon the cream cheese filling into the scooped out jalapeños and wrap one slice of bacon around each jalapeño. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon.
Step 5: Add to baking sheet.
Arrange poppers in an even single layer on a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack set over top.
Step 6: Bake the jalapeño poppers.
Bake until the bacon is crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove the toothpicks and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- You can try swapping the Cheddar cheese for another favorite shredded semi-hard cheese like Monterey Jack or pepper Jack.
- Try swapping the seasonings for 2 teaspoons (5g) of packaged ranch seasoning to add a unique flavor to the jalapeño poppers.
How to Make Jalapeño Poppers in an Air Fryer
Work in batches so the jalapeño poppers sit in an even single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Heat to 325ºF (170ºC). Since the goal is to not use the oven, I don’t par-bake the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 12 to 14 minutes.
Do I Have to Add Bacon?
No! You can easily skip the bacon for a vegetarian version and proceed with baking the stuffed jalapeños as directed below.
How to Prep These in Advance
The jalapeños can be stuffed and even wrapped in the bacon in advance then placed into a resealable plastic bag and frozen until ready to serve, up to 2 months. To cook from frozen, simply add to the baking sheet and bake as directed.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this bacon wrapped jalapeño popper recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram for more updates:
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of bacon, sliced in half
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 15 medium jalapeños
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add slices of bacon in an even single layer. Bake the bacon until some of the fat has rendered and it’s pliable, about 8 minutes. Set aside and keep the oven on.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Blend or stir until combined.
- Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a paring knife or spoon and discard.
- Spoon the cream cheese filling into the scooped out jalapeños and wrap one slice of bacon around each jalapeño. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon.
- Arrange poppers in an even single layer on a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack set over top.
- Bake until the bacon is crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove the toothpicks and serve.
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