The first time I bit into a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper, I knew I’d found something special.
The combination of creamy cheese, spicy jalapeño heat, and crispy bacon created the perfect bite – one that somehow manages to be both indulgent and addictive.
These little bundles of joy have become a go-to appetizer for everything from casual weeknight dinners to potlucks.
They’re surprisingly simple to make, yet they never fail to impress guests.
The best part? You can prep them ahead of time and pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper recipe hits all the right notes.
The cream cheese filling is rich and smooth, perfectly balancing the jalapeño’s natural heat. The bacon wrapper adds that irresistible smoky crunch that makes these poppers impossible to resist.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity.
With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep work, you can create restaurant-quality appetizers at home.
The cooking method ensures the bacon gets perfectly crispy while the jalapeños become tender and the cheese melts to creamy perfection.
These poppers are also incredibly versatile. You can adjust the spice level by choosing milder or hotter jalapeños, and the filling can be customized with your favorite add-ins like garlic powder, chives, or even a touch of ranch seasoning mix.
Ingredients
- 12 large fresh jalapeño peppers
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 strips bacon, cut in half (24 pieces total)
- Toothpicks for securing
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Instructions
Prepare the jalapeños: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and white membrane using a small spoon or knife. For less heat, rinse the jalapeño halves under cold water and pat dry.
Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and well combined.
Stuff the jalapeños: Using a small spoon or your fingers, fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture, mounding it slightly above the rim of the pepper.
Wrap with bacon: Take one half-strip of bacon and wrap it around each stuffed jalapeño half, securing with a toothpick. Make sure the bacon covers most of the cheese filling to prevent it from leaking out during cooking.
Bake: Arrange the wrapped poppers on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Cool and serve: Let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before eating and serve immediately while hot.
Tips for Success
Choose jalapeños that are firm and similar in size for even cooking. The peppers should be large enough to hold a good amount of filling but not so big that they overwhelm the bacon wrapper.
Don’t skip the step of removing all seeds and membrane—this is where most of the heat lives. If you want spicier poppers, leave some seeds in, but be warned that the heat can be intense.
For extra crispy bacon, you can partially cook the bacon strips for 2-3 minutes in a skillet before wrapping the jalapeños.
This helps render some of the fat and ensures the bacon gets properly crispy in the oven.
These poppers can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if baking them straight from the fridge.
Print
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Crispy bacon wraps around creamy cheese-stuffed jalapeños for the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer. Ready in just 40 minutes with simple ingredients, these restaurant-quality poppers pack the perfect balance of heat, richness, and smoky crunch.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 poppers 1x
Ingredients
- 12 large fresh jalapeño peppers
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 strips bacon, cut in half (24 pieces total)
- Toothpicks for securing
Instructions
- Prepare the jalapeños: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and white membrane using a small spoon or knife. For less heat, rinse the jalapeño halves under cold water and pat dry.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Stuff the jalapeños: Using a small spoon or your fingers, fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture, mounding it slightly above the rim of the pepper.
- Wrap with bacon: Take one half-strip of bacon and wrap it around each stuffed jalapeño half, securing with a toothpick. Make sure the bacon covers most of the cheese filling to prevent it from leaking out during cooking.
- Bake: Arrange the wrapped poppers on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Cool and serve: Let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before eating and serve immediately while hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
