Jalapeño Poppers
Making jalapeño poppers at home is ridiculously easy and only requires THREE ingredients! A huge party hit!
Over Labor Day weekend, my mom, sister and in-laws were over on Sunday for our usual get together, and hung out later than usual to watch the end of the U.S. Open while I put Joseph to bed. I came downstairs and found out they had planned an impromptu barbecue at our house for the next day. I had a minor panic attack because, well, I’m Type A to the max and impromptu anything usually makes me twitch (I need time to plan, man!), it was already late-ish, I obviously had no food planned, I was 8.5 months pregnant and had no intentions on going to the grocery store. I think I gave everyone a, um, look, because they immediately started assuring me they would bring the food so I didn’t need to worry about anything.
What I DID have, however, were some jalapeños in the fridge, as well as some cream cheese and bacon.
BOOM. Jalapeno poppers for an easy appetizer, done!
The absolute best part about jalapeño poppers (other than how utterly delicious and addicting they are) is that they are ridiculously easy to make and super simple to scale for a party of 2 to a party of 50. There are no exact measurements here, so just add more peppers, cream cheese and bacon if you think you’ll need more, or use fewer ingredients if you’re feeding a small crowd.
Our small little impromptu Labor Day group absolutely devoured these. I kind of thought everyone might like them, but was surprised when everyone kept going back for more. Appetizer win!
If you’ve never made jalapeño poppers at home, promise me you’ll give them a try sometime soon! They’re so easy and simple, AND I think they could be made even more amazing by mixing some shredded cheddar cheese into the cream cheese. Because, more cheese is always better in my world.
Whether you are having a casual party, having friends over for some football-watching, or just want a snack for a Netflix binge, these are a delicious option!
Three years ago: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Crumb Bars
Four years ago: Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling & Praline Frosting
Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 20 whole, fresh jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet OR line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Spread cream cheese in the cavity of each jalapeño half, then wrap with bacon (depending on the size of the jalapeño, you could use a whole piece of bacon, or half). Place on the wire rack or baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is done and crispy. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Would these cool well in an air fryer?
We took these in another direction. Make just as the recipe says, but add a healthy sprinkle of brown sugar before and after wrapping with the bacon. Heavenly, and so worth a try, even if you just do a few with your next batch as an experiment. Maybe its just me, but I have to prep the jalapenos in a big bowl of water to control my reaction.
I think the next time I do this I’m going to mix in crabmeat and do it in the BBQ.
I take these often for potlucks-they are requested. I use garden vegetable cream cheese. If I’m feeling generous I add a shrimp on top of the cream cheese before I wrap with bacon.
Looks like a fun appetizer. I bet you it’s Keto friendly too.
I stuff mine with a sharp shredded cheddar or shredded pepper jack cheese mixed with butter bread crumbs. I don’t particularly like cream cheese.
I LOVE these!! I add fresh minced Garlic & Cumin powder to the cream cheese. Awesome!!
I MAKE THESE ALL THE TIME. THEY ARE AWESOME, I PUT MEXICAN CHEESES MIX INTO CREAM CHEESE, MIX THEN FILL PEPPERS. THEY ARE TOO GOOD.
It started a fire in my oven. I probably should’ve been smart enough to use a pan with sides to contain the grease, but I used parchment paper on a cookie sheet and the smoke alerted me to the fire. Finished them in the microwave and they were good, but just be aware – it could happen.
Can these jalapeño poppers be made in advance and frozen, then cooked at a later date??
Amazing and brilliant and wonderful! I saw this recipe a while ago and figured it would come I handy. And it did today:) These are exactly as promised. So easy and yummy! Thank you!
Hi there…how much cheddar would you add?
Hi Carolyn, Probably about a cup or so! I’ve added it before, but never measured. I would start there and then adjust based on your preference!
Thank you…did you add anything else…seasonings, etc.? Or just the cheese?
Nope, nothing else!
I first made these many years ago when I saw them in a Junior Leaque cookbook from my hometown. It’s the exact same recipe and I can tell you they are delicious…seems like I never make enough, wiped out everytime. Great for holiday appetizer, picnic, anytime.
Can you use shredded cheese instead of cream cheese please let me know cause I want to make some but I don’t like cream cheese
Hi Anita, Yes, you could do that, but you might want to mix in just a tad bit of cream cheese to help bind it together so you can easily “stuff” them!
Love this idea, can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing!
I may have to throw a party so I can serve these bacon-wrapped poppers. They sound scrumptious! Thanks for sharing.
Still no post…hope all is well. :-)
Just checking in for any baby news! Wish you all the best, and get some rest.
I think we have a new “baker” baby! Second day in a row with no post! Please let us know as soon as you can!
I keep checking back to see if she posted anything! Funny how you can be so excited for someone you don’t know!
Same here! I keep popping in for an update!
Same here, can’t wait to see the new little bundle of joy!
I made these for a big party and they were a huge hit. But what should I do to get the bacon more crispy on the bottom of the peppers? I thought I might partially cook the bacon first, or bake these on a rack. I don’t want to deep fry them. They were gobbled up, even with undercooked bacon on the bottom, but crispy on all sides has eluded me so far. Thanks!
Hi Julie, Yes, using a rack would help the bottoms get a little bit more crisp.
I dice and cook the bacon and add it to the cream cheese along with shredded cheddar. Sometimes I spoon a little barbecue sauce on the top before baking.
I have been making these for about 10 years now. And my family likes them. I tried making this after having it at a Mexican restaurant.
I used grapefruit knife to scrape the seeds and membrane out. Also whip cream cheese and put in pastry bag to put into peppers. A few spices of your choice added to the cream cheese gave extra flavour.
I used to make these with fresh jalapenos but found that if you want more heat and flavor, use the canned pickled jalapenos!
Great idea Karla. These have been in my party food rotation for years since we first ate them in Tucson, AZ. I’ve always used the fresh jalapenos but this year I think I’ll do half with fresh and half using your idea. Thanks, this might start a whole new tradition for us.
this was a great help my mom and i are making some and needed to know the time and eventually my friends in fcs with me are going to try to get our teacher to let us make them
I’ve made these twice now. I adjust two things, I use herb cream cheese and I cut the bacon in half lengthwise which works better with the thick cut smoked bacon we love. No matter how many I’ve made (4 doz) there are no leftovers. Great recipe!
Love bacon wrapped poppers, my wife and I have been making them for years. The only difference is we add 4oz of either blue cheese or gorganzola. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
How far in advance can I prepare these?
Hi Jennifer, I think you could probably assemble them the morning the prepare to serve them, then place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. They might need an extra couple of minutes in the oven.
Love these but they trashed by oven!!!!! Doing on the grill from now on!! Have to clean oven tomorrow now…
sprinkle a little brown sugar on the cream cheese before wrapping the bacon. delicious!
I used to make these a lot and they were always a hit.
I make these quite often and have for years. My family loves them. They also work well grilled on the bbq. For a little less fat from the bacon, I adapted the recipe a bit. I cook the bacon and drain it on paper towels. Then crumble it. I soften the cream cheese and whip it with a hand mixer. I then add the crumbled bacon and fold it in. We like it spicy, so I add jalapenos seeds to the mixture. I then spoon the mixture into a zip-lock bag and cut the end piece off, large enough so the bacon pieces will fit through. Bake until the jalapenos are soft. The cream cheese mixture goes brown and a bit crusty, which adds a bit of texture. Delicious!
One more thing, I use a melon baller to remove the seeds and membrane, works fantastic!
Does anyone know if these would work with turkey bacon? Would the baking time or temp need to be adjusted?
Try completly covering them in bacon and securing with a few toothpicks, then deep fry them at 375 for a couple of minutes. The peppers are a little crisp ( al dente), very tasty and fast.
When i make these i like to season my cream cheese with garlic powder put as much as you want depends on how much you like garlic and i dont use the sheredded cheese only cream cheese it is very very good that way i have made plenty of folks fall in love with them..
Just dropping in to check out these awesome jalapenos!!! Just pinned to my Super Bowl Board!!
Now I am off to follow via Facebook!!
I make these the same but add BBQ sauce on top when baking. Sometime I put a little bit of minced garlic in the cream cheese too. The BBQ sauce really makes a difference!
These are the best with maple bacon! Love!
tried this recipe and loved it, this the best recipe yet! what a hit!!
I’m a novice in the kitchen, but did these for a group of 6 last night. They were easy and everyone loved them. I did them on the green egg and used straight cream cheese. Didn’t watch the time too closely; just pulled them off a couple minutes after the bacon started turning crispy.
We make these and they are SOOOO delish! We mix sharp shredded cheddar into the cream cheese and instead of slicing the peppers lengthwise we cut the tops off, stuff them, wrap them in bacon being sure to pin the end of the bacon over the opening in the top with a toothpick and then we grill them on the outdoor grill. OMGosh, they are the bomb grilled.
These look sooo yummy! I’ve been looking at quite a few popper recipes and these just moved to the top of my list!
Did you bake them on the cooling rack? It looks like you did, but I’ve never put my rack into the oven before. Thanks!
I did bake them on the cooling rack – I have used it before for breaded baked chicken and things like that.
Mmmmm, these look soooooooooo good! I’m so glad I have the Super Bowl as an excuse to make these ;)!!!!
These look so incredibly tasty! I’m not really into football (don’t hate me!), but I love all the food that comes along with it. :)
Perfect party food -LOVE!!!
Yum! These look absolutely incredible! Like jalapeño poppers, but so much better.
Drooling over this! This would be a great snack for a Super Bowl party.
This is one of our all time faves! So glad u posted. I thought it was just a tx thing :-)
These are so yummy! Our family makes them quite often and to us they are referred to as ‘Dead Rats’. Quite the appetizing name huh!?! :) I over look the horrible family name beacuse they are so delicious!
What a perfect snack! I don’t think I’d be able to share though!
this looks so easy and delicious!!!!
I’m gonna try it!!!! (^_^)
These look delicious! I’m definitely bringing them to the Super Bowl Party I am going to. I also plan to make stuffed tomatoes and Football Truffles! YUMMY!
Yummm! Love the idea of wrapping bacon around these! Be sure to wear gloves when handling the peppers. If you don’t, you’ll wish you had when your hands and cuticles on are fire later! Forgot the gloves one time; that’s all it took. Now I have a box of 500 gloves in the pantry!
This time of year I get envious of the whole Superbowl thing. Where’s OUR celebration where we get to snarf delicious and zingy bites like these in front of the television?
Having a girls’ night in next week, but somehow I don’t think the DVD of Funny Girl will cut it. :-/
We go to this great mexican resturaunt which serves stuffed jalapenos – my Mum always finds them too hot, but my sister and I love them. This is definately something I am looking forward to recreating!
Shari from http://www.goodfoodweek.blogspot.com
Of course these are great (I put a pineapple tidbit in there also) but to answer your question POPCORN. Anyway you want to make it you just can never go wrong with it.
Brown Eyed Baker, you’ve kicked a field goal with these!
Oh, heaven help me. Here we go again. I first saw these on The Pioneer Woman’s website last fall. I made a small batch that night. Then I made a bigger batch the next night, and 3 other times that week. They’re more than addicting, they’re the meth of bacon-wrapped snacks. So horrifyingly addictive, and yet so gloriously delicious. Now I’m going to have to make them again. Will this madness ever end?!?!?
These look ah-mazing! Making a mental note to do a test run pre-Super Bowl. You know, just in case. My go-to recipe is Sausage Dip.
1 can rotel
1 log Jimmy Dean sage sausage
1 block cream cheese
Brown and drain the sausage, then mix in the other ingredients until cc is melted. Easily doubled. Service with chips and you have a winner.
Since you mentioned mixing cheddar with the cream cheese, I thought I’d share what I do. I make my go-to cheese ball recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tammys-Tempting-Cheese-Ball/Detail.aspx and stuff the jalapenos with that. It’s SO freaking delicious. And the cheese ball recipe makes a lot, so if you’re making these for a party, you can serve half of the cheese with crackers…two apps in one!
These look delicious!! I love jalapeno poppers, but these have bacon! Doesn’t bacon make everything better :-)
So simple and yet so enticing. These sound terrific! Definitely want to watch football with me.
OMG these have everything I love!
Hold the phone – these look positively divine! Can’t wait to give these a whirl in a few weeks!
We have done something similar to this but use sausage instead of bacon. Stuff the jalapenos with the cream cheese and then top with uncooked jimmy dean or other sausage and bake. They were the hit of my parent’s anniversary party last year!
These are always popular around our house! And yes, cheddar mixed into the cream cheese sounds delicious! Have a fun game day…theresa
Wow this looks like a perfect bit. I love anything with bacon wrapped around it :)
Awesome idea – love it! Simple and delicious and easy that is what we need during game day. Great post!
This one is perfect! I’m making it for sure! Thanks :)
the new philly cooking cream cheese in different savory flavors would be great with this recipe…can’t wait to make them for SB Sunday!
Oh my goodness! It’s 830 in the morning…and there’s nothing I want more right now. What a brilliant recipe! I bet these are absolutely fantastic!
I have made these several time before. However, I add shredded cheddar cheese to the cream cheese,mix it all together and then stuff the jalepenos!
Also, if making a lot wear gloves to remove the seeds because they will burn your hands after awhile :)
yum.
I want these for breakfast.
My hubs and I adore these and we make them several times a month. I always use thick pepper bacon and mix in ‘stuff’ with my cream cheese. Usually Lawry’s garlic salt, chopped green onions, shredded cheddar, chipotle, and lots of black pepper. My in-laws mix in a pkg of ranch seasoning. Excellent!!!
Jalepeno poppers are one of my favorite bite-sized party foods, but I’m not a huge fan of the pre-packaged, fried ones. This would be great on my table for the super bowl! These look sooo good!
Such a great SuperBowl snack!! I would need to use some surgical-grade latex gloves b/c I have a bad track record with trying to seed jalapenos on my own :) I have something similar I make with dried dates!
My husband would love these!!
Yum! Did you see the Pioneer Woman’s Shrimpo de Gallo yesterday? Looks like a great (light) dip to throw into the Super Bowl mix!
Those look amazing! We love poppers, but these look even better. I’m thinking Super Bowl snack:-)
I love football food (sweet and definitely savory). These look like a fun addition to the table!!
I’m sure this recipe is a huge hit! I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t jump for these!
Looks like a great app to serve at parties!
My friend usually makes these at her annual Christmas party and they are SOOO good. My husband and I once made some and ate so many of them before anyone arrived as they are just that good!
I love PW’s bacon wrapped jalepeno’s! Thanks for the reminder! :)
Oh this is perfect! I’m going to a party where the hostess only eats gluten-free snack. I was trying to find something fun enough to bring, and I think I just found my ticket! Thank you for sharing :p