Preppy Kitchen Recipes Appetizers Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers

Name: Jalapeno Poppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 12 jalapeño peppers ((about 340g total)); 6 ounces cream cheese (softened (170g)); 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ((120g)); 4 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled); 2 green onions (chopped); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs ((20g))

By John Kanell Published Feb 8, 2024
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Homemade jalapeño poppers are an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing appetizer! Perfectly creamy and cheesy, this jalapeño poppers recipe is the ideal game-day appetizer.

A plate with two jalapeno poppers with a bowl of dipping sauce on the side. A platter with more jalapeno poppers in the background.

If you’re looking for the perfect party appetizer that will be gone in a flash, look no further than my jalapeño poppers recipe. Just whip up a creamy, cheesy filling loaded with bacon and green onions, spoon it into sliced jalapeños, cover with a breadcrumb topping, and bake until gooey, golden, and crisp. It’s literally that simple!

This easy appetizer is popular for a reason. They’re subtly spicy without being at all overwhelming (even my spice-averse friends enjoy these!), and the cream cheese and bacon filling is loaded with savory, tangy flavor. For more appetizer recipes, try my baked wings recipe, nachos recipe, and buffalo chicken dip recipe.

What You Need to Make this Recipe

Ingredients needed to make jalapeno poppers.

Jalapeño peppers — you need 12 jalapeño peppers, totaling about 340 grams. Pick fresh jalapenos that are vibrant in color and feel firm.

Cheese — softened cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese are mixed together for the creamy filling. A perfect balance to the mild heat of the peppers!

Bacon — precook the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel to remove any excess fat before crumbling it.

Green onions — thinly sliced green onion adds loads of flavor to the stuffing. If you want less onion flavor, feel free to swap them out with chives, or omit them altogether.

Seasoning — the jalapeño popper filling has lots of flavor from cheese, green onions, and bacon, so additionally, you only need garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to season the mixture.

Topping — for the crisp golden topping, you’ll need unsalted butter and panko breadcrumbs. Panko gets much crispier than regular dry bread crumbs, but you can make the swap in a pinch.

How to Make Jalapeño Poppers

Set of two photos showing jalapenos cut in half and shredded cheese added to a bowl with cream cheese.

1. Before working on the jalapeno peppers, put on a pair of gloves to protect your hands. Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and white membrane. You will have 24 jalapeño halves.

2. Grab a medium bowl and work on the cream cheese mixture. Combine the softened cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese.

Set of two photos showing bacon added to the bowl of filling then scooped into a cut jalapeno.

3. Then add crumbled bacon, sliced green onion, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon the bacon and cheese mixture evenly into the pepper halves and place each one on the prepared baking sheet.

Set of two photos showing melted butter poured into panko breadcrumbs and then spooned on top of the jalapenos.

5. Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix until all the panko bread crumbs are coated in butter.

6. Spoon the panko topping mixture over the tops of each stuffed pepper. Bake the jalapeño poppers in oven preheated to 400°F for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving with your favorite dipping sauce. They’re also delicious at room temperature, so don’t worry if they sit for a little while before everyone digs in.

Multiple jalapeno poppers with crispy panko scattered around.

Pro Tips for Making this Recipe

Wear gloves when handling jalapeño peppers: I recommend wearing gloves when slicing and seeding the peppers, even if you aren’t sensitive to spicy peppers. The oils can irritate your hands, or you can end up with a not-so-fun surprise when touching your face or eyes after working with any spicy peppers, even milder ones like jalapeños.
Control the spice level: To have these as mild as possible, scrape out all the seeds and inner membranes. If you want them a little more spicy, leave some seeds and the membranes intact. For an extra spicy kick, add cayenne pepper to taste to the filling.
Use different cheese: For less tang, use mild cheddar cheese. If you want more of a kick, go with pepper Jack.
Gluten-free option: To make this recipe gluten-free, you have two options. You can omit the panko breadcrumb topping altogether or swap out the breadcrumbs for your favorite gluten-free alternative.

A jalapeno popper dipped into a creamy dipping sauce with more jalapeno poppers on the platter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are they spicy?

Yes, jalapeño poppers with bacon are a bit spicy. However, the creamy cheese filling brings down the heat significantly and balances it perfectly. It can also vary based on the individual pepper- sometimes jalapenos are very mild, while others can have more heat.

How long to bake them

At 400°F, I bake them for about 25 minutes. All ovens can run a little differently, though, so once the topping is golden brown and crisp, you can pull them out. You want to bake them long enough for the peppers to soften and the cheese to become perfectly melty.

Can you make them ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the cream cheese filling up to 5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also assemble them without the topping, place them in a single layer in an airtight container, and refrigerate them for up to 5 days until you’re ready to bake them. When ready to cook, top and bake as directed.

What do you eat with them?

I love serving baked jalapeño poppers with other game day favorites like fried pickles, air fryer chicken wings, spinach artichoke dip, and guacamole for a flavor-packed spread.

How do you store leftovers?

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that they might become a bit soggy. You can put them under the broiler, or in a toaster oven for a minute or two to re-crisp the topping.

Can you freeze them?

Once cooled completely, flash freeze the poppers by placing them on a baking tray and freezing until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for about 2 months. Reheat them from frozen in the oven as directed in the recipe.

If you’ve tried this jalapeño poppers recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!