These Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers are the perfect party snack or holiday appetizer! Super easy to make, each delicious bite is irresistibly creamy, cheesy, and smokey with just the right amount of heat to balance it all. They’re low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free.
Jalapeño Poppers Wrapped in Bacon
These bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers are fast becoming my favorite party appetizer. After all, what’s better than bubbly cheese-stuffed jalapenos wrapped in crispy bacon? Perfect for holiday gatherings and game day parties, they are the perfect casual finger food – everyone will be circling back for more.
What are jalapeno poppers?
Jalapeño poppers are a popular menu item at chain restaurants like TGI Fridays. Served a variety of ways, they are most often made by hollowing out whole jalapeno peppers, stuffing them with a mixture of cheese, spices, and (sometimes) ground meat, breading, and deep frying.
Ingredients
- Jalapeños
- Cream cheese (at room temperature)
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Colby jack cheese
- Bacon
Can this recipe be made without bacon?
Absolutely. Even though bacon is a major ingredient in this recipe, it isn’t required or necessary. Your jalapeno poppers will be just as amazing without it.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Get started by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice each jalapeño in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the pith, membranes, and seeds. Discard. This will dramatically reduce the heat intensity of the jalapeños.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese using a hand mixer until smooth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and mix until combined. Stir in the shredded cheese.
Use a small spoon to scoop the cream cheese filling into each jalapeño half then wrap one strip of bacon around each half. If your jalapeños are on the larger side, you may need to wrap them with one-and-a-half slices of bacon.
Spray a large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line your baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the prepared jalapeño poppers in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the bacon is fully cooked and the cheese filling starts to bubble.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before garnishing them with fresh chopped chives, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prepare ahead of time. Keep the prepared bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to bake. You can prepare these up to 2 days in advance.
- Thick-cut bacon isn’t a bad idea – especially if you really love bacon – but it will take about 3-5 minutes longer to cook.
- For extra crispy bacon, cook your jalapeno poppers on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. This will allow the bacon to crisp all over. You may also set the oven to broil in the final minute of cooking.
- Larger jalapenos allow for more cream cheese mixture. Let this determine what size jalapenos you purchase.
- Wear gloves while removing the seeds and membranes of your jalapenos. Although the seeds and membranes won’t burn your hands directly, you will burn your eyes or mouth if you touch them with your fingers.
Storage and Leftovers
Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven, microwave, or air fryer until heated through.
To freeze, transfer the cooked jalapeno poppers to a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for 1 hour before transferring the jalapenos to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to enjoy, remove from the freezer and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake-from-frozen, adding an additional 10-15 minutes to the total cook time.
How to Serve
Serve garnished with chopped chives and a side of ranch dressing. So good!
More Easy Appetizer Recipes,
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe with Dipping Sauce
- Cinnamon Honey Butter Board
- Autumn Cheese Board
- The Best Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
If you try making this Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 10 jalapeños
- 12 ounces cream cheese - full fat, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 15 slices of bacon - each sliced in half lengthwise
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds.
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl using a hand mixer until smooth then beat in the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir in the shredded cheese.
- Fill each of the jalapeño halves with the cheese mixture and wrap one slice of bacon around each half. (You may need to use 1½ pieces of bacon for the large jalapeños depending on size.)
- Spray a 12×16-inch baking sheet with non-stick spray then arrange the jalapeños on the pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through and the filling starts to bubble.
- Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving garnishing with fresh chopped chives, if desired. Delicious served with a side ranch dressing for dipping.
Jessica’s Notes
- For best results, use full-fat cream cheese.
- Colby jack cheese is fantastic in this recipe, but feel free to substitute it with sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, pepper Jack, etc.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I made these with pigeon breasts and they were fantastic.
We steam the peppers just long enough to soften and replace the cheddar with smoked cheddar. Yum!