These bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers are creamy, spicy and loaded with cheese. The perfect party appetizer!
I have to admit, I have a weakness for jalapeno poppers. As much as I love them, I’ve never made them at home, because I’m not a fan of deep frying in my own kitchen. These bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers are baked instead of fried, and let me say, they’re even better than the original! Who can resist fresh jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked to crispy perfection? Not me, that’s for sure. This is the ultimate party or game day snack!
How to make jalapeno poppers
It probably won’t surprise you that the first ingredient in this recipe is jalapenos. I like to buy jalapenos that are about 3-4 inches long, you don’t want them to be too small or they’ll be hard to stuff. The jalapenos are sliced in half and the seeds and ribs get removed. Removing the seeds and ribs removes most of the heat from the peppers; if you like it spicier, leave some of the seeds and ribs in. The peppers are stuffed with a combination of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and spices.
The final step in the process is the bacon. You definitely want to avoid thick cut bacon here as it’ll take a lot longer to crisp up in the oven. The jalapenos get wrapped in half a slice of bacon and then secured with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpicks before serving like I did here, or leave them in for people to grab off the party platter. Whatever you prefer!
I like to serve my bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers with a side of ranch for dipping, but honestly they’re awesome as-is too. This is one of those party snacks where everyone will be asking you for the recipe! You can even fill and wrap the jalapenos up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them, simply store them in the fridge until you’re ready to go. You might even want to consider making a double batch, these little guys disappear quickly!
More appetizers for your next party
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Video
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 jalapeno peppers approximately 3-4 inches long
- 1 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 12 slices bacon do not use thick cut
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat it with cooking spray.
- Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and ribs.
- In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture.
- Cut the slices of bacon in half crosswise and wrap each pepper half in a slice of bacon, using a toothpick to secure the bacon.
- Arrange the peppers on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until bacon is crispy and browned. Serve immediately.
Susan says
Would it make a difference if I use whipped cream cheese?
Sara says
That should work fine, whipped cream cheese is a little softer than regular cream cheese so there is some risk of some of the filling leaking out during the baking process. But they should still be delicious!
Lisalifesaver says
The tip of a narrow spoon and even a regular sized teaspoon works just fine to scrape out the seeds and medical type disposable gloves are the easiest thing to use for your hands. I have made these using feta cheese instead of cheddar for a delicious variation. Thank you for the recipe. I really like the way you sliced them lengthwise, it’s much easier than stuffing them whole!
Clara says
Hello, I wanted to make these ahead to bring to work, but obviously they would get cold and have to be reheated in the microwave at work. Would the cheese get melty again? Thanks
Sara says
The cheese will get melty again but the bacon would probably not get crispy in the microwave.
Patty says
Really good. Prep time was a lot longer than 10 mins. Give yourself plenty of time. Between cleaning the jalapeno and stuffing and wrapping it took me a hour. Wish I would have read about pre cooking the bacon. All and all very good.
Amber says
My friend brought these to work and they were amazing so I had to make my own! Used bacon bits instead of real bacon, delicious!
Sara says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, thank you for reporting back!
Brian says
Is it ok to broil these at the same temp in order to get the tops browned, or is that unnecessary?
Sara says
They tend to brown on their own without the broiler, if you choose to broil them, watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn!
Anna says
These were a big hit at our Super Bowl party!
A few things I did differently that worked well for me – after filling the jalapeños with the cheese mixture, I stuck them in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help keep the cheese from becoming too oozy in the oven. And I also put the bacon in the preheated oven by themselves for about 10 minutes, then took out and wrapped around the jalapeños and cooked them together for about 25-30 minutes. I had a few poppers without pre-cooked bacon, and they were not done after that time – they had to go in for another 10. So, word to the wise – definitely consider pre-cooking your bacon if you want it to be crispy 🙂
Sara says
Glad you enjoyed them, thanks for reporting back!
Alicia says
The end result was delicious and a smash-hit for my party. However, as someone who is not as great as in the kitchen, this was much harder than expected and took way longer than 10 minutes prep time. The cream cheese is really hard to mix, and it was really hard to scoop into the shells. I finally ended up using my hand and rolling into cigar shapes and putting it into the shells that way. That works! Thank you so much for the recipe, and helping me try something new.
Sara says
Glad you enjoyed them, thanks for reporting back!
Cari says
The cream cheese should be room temperature so it is smooth and cramy.
Nichelle says
Beginners mistake 🙂 just make sure it’s at room temperature next time.
Rory says
Love this. To add my own twist, I went with maple flavoured bacon! Sweet and savoury!
Sara says
Love that idea, glad you enjoyed it!
Callie says
Wow. These were beyond awesome. I used sweet peppers, because I can’t take the heat. They were wonderful. Can’t wait to make them again.
Sara says
Love the idea of using sweet peppers, glad you enjoyed them!
Dave's in the kitchen says
I like to finely chop pepperoni and mix along with cream cheese. Been a hit
Sara says
Great idea, I’ll try that next time!
Jennifer says
Can you make ahead and instead of cooking, free them for later?
Sara says
I think you could do that, although you’ll just want to keep in mind that the peppers will likely be softer upon thawing!
Kim says
Love this recipe! The only thing I do instead so the bacon isn’t soggy is chop it up and cook it in a pan prior to baking. Then I mix it with the rest of the ingredients and cook it for twenty minutes. Then I get get pieces of bacon in every bite…it’s pretty delicious and keto friendly!
Sara says
Great idea, I’ll try it this way next time!
Jennifer says
Prepare same way but use thick cut bacon cook in air fryer at 400° for 13 minutes. Perfection!
Sara says
Sounds great I’ll try it that way!
Sdnative says
Was just telling my husband i want to make bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers in the air fryer. Thank you for the temp & time!
Denise Braun says
Thoughts on making then keeping warm in a crockpot? To serve at a party??
Sara says
A crock pot wouldn’t work here because the bacon will get soggy and the filling could leak out. I’d recommend keeping them warm in a 250 degree oven until you’re ready to serve them. Hope you enjoy!
Cooking Dad says
I use a grapefruit spoon (serrated edges) to “gut” the jalapeños. Works like a champ.
Sara says
That’s a great idea!
Marie says
Great tip! Just made these and used a knife. Since they’re so amazing, and I’ll be making them a lot, I’ll go buy a grapefruit spoon!
Shawna says
Omg! That is suck a good idea. Right after I slowly clut them out with a knife lol
Anna says
That is so funny, as I was gutting these I thought hmmmmm what would make this easier. I instantly thought of my grapefruit spoon!
kerry Methot says
These are amazing, make them just like they say. The only thing that is WAY off is the prep time. It takes me 45 minutes to prep and I cook them for 45 minutes so the bacon is crispy. They are a bit time consuming but worth the effort!
Sara says
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, I made a batch the other day too!!
Angie says
I made these and OMG!!! Delicious!!! So easy and inexpensive to make. I would love to make these for my next family BBQ. I used thick cut bacon and cooked in my oven. So good.
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed them, thanks for reporting back!
Cianna says
I have used this great recipe numerous times with perfect results! I’m able to achieve crisp bacon by using precooked bacon I buy at Costco (Hormel). These slices are very pliable eventhough they are fully cooked! Try it.
Sara says
That is a great idea I will for sure try it next time!
Denise says
These look awesome! My son’s 23rd birthday party is tomorrow. We are having a cookout with some of his friends. I am sure they are going to love these. I was wondering if the jalapeño peppers will burn the hands while cutting and scooping all the stuff out. Has anyone had a problem with is this? Thanks!
Sara says
If you’re worried about that, you can wear gloves. I’ve never had an issue with the peppers burning my hands but there will be a little residual pepper oil on your hands so be sure not to touch your eyes!
Renee R says
Yes! Absolutely. I learned the hard way! The skin under my fingernails was on FIRE for days! I will never clean them and scoop out the membrane part without wearing gloves ever again!
Stacey says
I use the plastic vegetable bag that I bought the jalepenos in from the store as a barrier, and scoop the seeds out with my thumb. I started doing this because the plastic is more pliable than my thick rubber dish gloves. It works just as well.
mary ellen says
didn’t burn my hands but burned my lips when I touched them to my hand while taking a tylenol !
Bear in a can says
This dish is the nastiest thing ever ha jk it was wonderful the cheese in the jalapeño was delicious