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These Baked Jalapeno Poppers with cream cheese and bacon are always a crowd pleaser! Not only do they taste amazing but with just four ingredients, this easy recipe is guaranteed to become one of your go-to appetizers for any occasion!
Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Of all the things I’ve made for get-togethers, this easy baked jalapeno poppers recipe is always a favorite! It’s one of the best appetizer recipes for parties and definitely one of my most popular ones.
Even if you’re not a fan of spicy food, you’ll love these because they have just a little heat without going overboard. Make them the next time you need the perfect game day snack or you’re just getting together with friends on a Friday night. It’s also a great low carb option for your guests who may be watching their diets.
Why We Love These
Easy – With just four ingredients, these are super easy to make. You can whip up this jalapeño popper recipe in under 20 minutes, then just bake and serve.
Versatile – You can easy switch up the ingredients for this recipe depending on what you have on hand. Trade out the bacon for sausage or the cheddar for pepper jack or monterey jack cheese.
Crowd Pleaser – This is the perfect party appetizer because it’s a hit every time. Bringing these to a party is the best way to make sure that you’ll always be invited back!
Ingredients
- Jalapeño peppers
- Cream Cheese
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese (we used sharp)
- Bacon
How To Make Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or spray with cooking spray.
Step 2: Cook the bacon and let cool. Crumble and set aside.
Step 3: Cut fresh jalapeños in half and scoop out the seeds and membranes. I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is with a jalapeno pepper corer. However, you can also use a spoon to scoop them.
You may want to wear gloves while scooping the jalapenos. If not, just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
Step 4: In a large bowl, combine crumbled bacon pieces, sharp cheddar cheese and 6 ounces cream cheese. You can do this by hand or with a stand mixer. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
Step 5: Fill each jalapeño half with the cream cheese filling. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Another alternative is to use thispepper popper pan. It keeps all your baked jalapenos upright in the oven. Otherwise, if you have a popper that won’t lay flat, slice a little bit of jalapeno off the bottom to even it out.
Step 6: Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheesy filling starts to bubble and turn golden brown. Sprinkle a few more bacon crumbles over the cheese mixture for a crispy topping…because there’s no such thing as too much bacon!
One bite of the hot gooey cheese and you’ll want to make these every chance you get! I love it when something this easy tastes so good!
Tips And Variations
Toppings – Add a little crunch by sprinkling panko bread crumbs over the cream cheese mixture before baking. You can also garnish these with a little green onion after baking.
Seasonings – One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it can be made with just four ingredients (I’m all about the easy recipes). However, feel to mix in some onion powder or garlic powder for even more flavor.
Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Poppers – These are pretty delish wrapped in bacon too! Instead of crumbling your bacon and mixing it into the cheese, you can wrap a half slice of bacon around each of the poppers before baking them instead.
Bacon Bits – We like to cook our bacon fresh but if you’re in a time crunch, you can substitute bacon bites instead.
Can you grill jalapeño poppers?
While we usually make baked jalapeño poppers, these taste amazing when grilled too! When split lengthwise, you can place them directly on the grill.
Another option is to use a jalapeno grill rack. When using this, you’ll want to just cut off the end of the peppers and stuff them with the creamy filling while they’re standing upright. Then just place the rack on the grill and bake over indirect heat for about 10-12 minutes.
How can you make these hotter?
Spice these up even more by switching out the regular cream cheese with Philadelphia Cream Cheese’s Spicy Jalapeno flavor. You can also switch from making these jalapeno poppers with bacon and use hot sausage instead.
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, that’s one of the reasons I love making these baked jalapeno poppers for parties! You can make them the night before and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook them the next day. It’s one less thing to worry about on party day!
How do you make jalapeno popper dip?
Instead of filling the jalapenos, chop them into small pieces and mix into the cheesy filling. Place in an oven-safe shallow dish and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
More Delicious Appetizer Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Meatballs
- Hot Sausage Dip
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Puff Pastry Bites
- Cold Artichoke Dip
- Avocado Deviled Eggs
4.71 from 160 votes
Baked Jalapeno Poppers With Cream Cheese & Bacon
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
With just four simple ingredients, these baked jalapeno poppers couldn't get much easier. Filled with a delicious combination of cream cheese, cheddar and bacon, this appetizer is always a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
- 6 fresh jalapeno peppers
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 5 slices bacon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Cook bacon on stove top or microwave. Set aside.
Cut jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds.
6 fresh jalapeno peppers
Crumble four bacon slices.
5 slices bacon
Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon.
6 ounces cream cheese, 6 ounces cheddar cheese, 5 slices bacon
Fill each jalapeno half with cream cheese mixture and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Crumble the remaining slice of bacon and sprinkle over the cooked jalapenos. Enjoy!
Notes
- Need to save some time? Use store bought bacon crumbles instead of cooking your own.
- Want a crispy topping? Sprinkle panko crumbs lightly over the top before baking.
- Try drizzling a little blue cheese dressing over the top for an extra cheesy flavor.
- Don’t have bacon on hand? This recipe tastes amazing with sausage too!
Nutrition
Serving: 2g | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 411IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 0.1mg
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used.
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