Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
A step-by-step guide for making the best bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers.
Makes24
Prep30 minutes
Cook25 minutes to 30 minutes
Jalapeño poppers are the ultimate game-day snack. They’re spicy, crisp, and a serious crowd-pleasing appeziter. The catch? They aren’t very practical to make at home.
Restaurant-style poppers require a deep fryer, a messy breading setup, and a lot of planning to pull off. To solve this, we created a recipe that ditches the deep fryer altogether while still delivering on texture and flavor. What’s our secret? Bacon.
Bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers are the best easy appetizer for your Super Bowl party or casual dinner party. Here’s how to make them.
5 Tips for Making the Best Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
1. Purchase large jalapeños that are all the same size. Smaller peppers won’t hold enough filling, so search for hefty jalapeños that are slightly larger than your thumb.
2. Wear gloves when prepping the peppers to prevent burning your hands. Wearing gloves eliminates the dreaded “hot pepper hands,” but if you forget or don’t have them, we have a bunch of quick remedies.
3. Don’t use thick-cut bacon. Although delicious, thick-cut bacon isn’t the best option for these poppers — it’s too thick to wrap around the peppers and has a tendency to unravel when baking. Stick to traditional sliced, center-cut bacon (about 12 slices per pound).
4. Secure the bacon in place with toothpicks. Most recipes for bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers instruct you to wrap the peppers in bacon and load them straight into the oven. But we found this method resulted in the bacon shrinking and unraveling from the peppers. Our solution? Using toothpicks to secure the bacon in place as the poppers bake.
5. Let the poppers cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Because the filling is made up entirely of cheese (and therefore totally melty straight from the oven), it’s important to let the poppers cool before serving them, which will set the cheese a bit.
Why You’ll Love It
- They’re wrapped in bacon. Unlike traditional poppers, this recipe skips the breading altogether. Instead, the poppers are wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven for a fuss-free appetizer that’s loaded with smoky bacon flavor and — dare we say — even better than the original.
- They’re easy to make. These poppers come together in less than one hour from start to finish.
- They’re the perfect make-ahead appetizer for parties. If you’re planning to serve them at a party, you can even get a head start by assembling them the day before and stashing them in the fridge. The next day, just pop them in the oven for a quick snack that’ll please everyone.
Key Ingredients in Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
- Jalapeño peppers: Look for large jalapeños, about the same size each.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese has the best flavor.
- Cheddar cheese: Use sharp cheddar cheese for extra-cheesy jalapeño poppers.
- Bacon: We recommend center-cut bacon, which is meatier than regular bacon, but you can use regular bacon if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
- Prep the jalapeños. Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- Make the filling. Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder together and mix well.
- Stuff the jalapeños. Use about 1 tablespoon of filling per jalapeño half.
- Wrap with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Wrap each jalapeño half in a piece of bacon so the ends are tucked under the pepper, then secure with a toothpick.
- Bake the poppers. Bake until the bacon is crispy and the filling is melted.
Can You Make Jalapeño Poppers in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can! If you have an air fryer at home, you can pop them in and cook until the bacon is crispy. Or you can try our Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers, which have a crunchy panko topping that takes it to another level.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make ahead: The jalapeño peppers can be stuffed and wrapped in bacon up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers Recipe
A step-by-step guide for making the best bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers.
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes to 30 minutes
Makes 24
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 8 ounces
full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 12
large jalapeño peppers
- 6 ounces
sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon
onion powder
- 12 slices
center-cut bacon (about 1 pound, not thick-cut)
Instructions
Place 8 ounces cream cheese in a large bowl and let sit out at room temperature to soften while you heat the oven and prep the peppers. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Halve 12 large jalapeño peppers lengthwise. If desired, scrape out the seeds and ribs with a small spoon and discard.
Shred 6 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 cups). Add the cheddar, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder to the cream cheese and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Divide the filling between the halved jalapeños (about 1 tablespoon per half). Use a butter knife to smooth the filling so it is flush with the tops of the peppers.
Cut 12 slices bacon in half crosswise. Wrap each jalapeño half in a piece of bacon so the ends are tucked under the pepper. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place by skewering it from side to side. Arrange the peppers cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until the bacon is crispy and the filling is melted and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let the peppers cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The peppers can be stuffed and wrapped in bacon up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.