The Easiest Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Just 4 ingredients and about 30 minutes is all it takes to get these easy baked jalapeno poppers ready for your game day celebration! They’re loaded with classic popper flavors of cream cheese, sharp cheddar and TONS of bacon for the best appetizer ever!
You Will Love These
- The flavors are classic (and of course delicious) but the prep is incredibly simple! These poppers have all the traditional ingredients of jalapeno poppers but none of the fussiness! Or the frying! They are perfection with just 4 ingredients!
- All the classic popper ingredients are mixed into the filling which makes them easy to make and even easier to eat! You still get all the great flavors in the perfect little hand-held appetizer or game day snack!
- You don’t have to worry about tediously wrapping raw slices of bacon around the poppers and securing it with toothpicks! This makes these jalapeno poppers so much easier to assemble!
- If you loved these loaded jalapeno poppers, be sure to check out my Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Dip, my Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip, or my Easy Loaded Fries recipe!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fresh Jalapenos – This recipe is best with fresh jalapeno peppers, not pickled jalapenos. Try to find jalapenos that are about the same size to ensure that they will bake evenly in the oven.
- Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese is going to give you the best flavor and the creamiest texture. Make sure your cream cheese comes to room temperature so that it’s easy to mix the filling together. 1-2 hours on the counter should be long enough to come to room temp.
- Bacon – Use your favorite bacon for this recipe. And make sure that you bake it! Lay bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crispy. Baking bacon is the easiest way to cook it!
- Sharp Cheddar – The sharp cheddar is going to bring so much flavor to these poppers! You could use mild cheddar or Monterey jack cheese but the taste just won’t be the same.
- Green Onion – Sliced green onion is an optional garnish, but one that I definitely recommend! It adds some fresh flavor and balances out the richness of the baked jalapeño poppers. You could also use chives in place of the green onion.
Optional Add Ins
Use this jalapeno poppers recipe as a blueprint and make it your own! To switch things up a bit try adding:
- garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, or other spices
- cooked spicy sausage
- panko bread crumbs mixed with melted butter (sprinkle on top for a crispy crust)
Instructions
Slice the jalapenos in half using a sharp knife, leaving the stems intact if possible.
Use a spoon to scoop out the ribs and seeds of the jalapeno. If you’re feeling spicy, leave some of the ribs or seeds in. But BE WARNED, they will be spicy!
Add cream cheese, LOTS of crispy crumbled bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese to a large bowl along with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Mix until well combined.
Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the jalapenos, gently pressing it into the cavity of each jalapeno.
Then top the cream cheese filling with shredded cheese, gently pressing into the filling so that it stays put.
Bake for 20 minutes, then garnish with a bit more crumbled bacon and thinly sliced green onion if desired.
Why Bake on a Cooling Rack
- Raising the poppers up off the rimmed baking sheet with the aid of a cooling rack will not only make it easier to remove them (less surface area touching the jalapeno bottom means less chance of it sticking) but it also allows the poppers to cook more evenly. Another pro tip: spray the cooling rack with cooking spray so the jalapeno poppers come right off!
- Placing the poppers on a cooling rack allows the air to circulate around them and ensures that they cook evenly on all sides. One big reminder though: make sure your cooling rack is oven safe! Most are, but you’ll just want to double check!!
Tips
- It’s really helpful to wear a pair of food-safe gloves while you’re making these poppers! If you don’t wear gloves, you will undoubtedly end up with spicy jalapeno oil on your hands. Which is totally fine, but it’s a little tricky to wash off!
- If you do get jalapeno juice/oil on your hands, try coating them in olive oil, then thoroughly wash the oil off. You may have to do this a couple times to get all of the oil and jalapeno juice off. If you are a fellow contact wearer like myself, be sure you get all the oil off before handling your contacts. Or if you can, take your contacts out before you make these and don’t put them back in until the next day!
- Don’t overbake the jalapeno poppers! I like to check on them around the 15 minute mark and give the peppers a little poke. The peppers should be tender but still have a bit of a crunch to them. There’s nothing worse than a limp, over baked popper!
FAQ
The easiest way to ensure you end up with a mild jalapeno for these poppers, is to remove the ribs and seeds – that’s what holds most of the heat of a jalapeno. Baking the peppers with that cheesy bacon filling is also going to help them mellow out a bit. If you like a bit of spice, try adding some of the seeds back in to the cream cheese filling and you’ll get a bit of heat in each bite!
I love to serve jalapeno poppers as a simple appetizer along with Chili Lime Meatballs, Cheesy Baked Olive Dip, Warm Spinach Dip, and Baked Brie with Jam. If we’re having friends over those are my go to crowd pleasers that always go quick! If I have a craving for jalapeno poppers on a weeknight I’ll serve them alongside a bowl of warm homemade chili or a comforting bowl of pasta.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating
- Make Ahead: These poppers are perfect for making ahead of time! Assemble when it’s convenient for you and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. These are one of my favorite appetizers to prep before we have guests over because I can just pop them in the oven when they arrive!
- Freezing: Make sure to use full fat cream cheese if you’re planning to freeze these jalapeno poppers. Low fat cream cheese will not hold up to the freezing process and you’ll end up with a less than creamy jalapeno pepper filling.
- To freeze these, just follow directions in the recipe but before baking, lay them on a sheet pan and freeze for 2 hours. Transfer poppers to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Then when you’re ready to bake you can take them right from the freezer to the oven! Just make sure you follow the recipe instructions below and bake them on a cooling rack on a sheet pan.
- Also, plan to add about 5-10 minutes or so to the bake time if you baking them straight from the freezer.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Reheating: I like to reheat these on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until they are warmed through and the cheese is melty.
More Easy Appetizers
Did you love this recipe?
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Easy Baked Jalapeno Poppers
No holiday get together or game day celebration is complete without these simple jalapeno poppers! They’re loaded with classic popper flavors of cream cheese, sharp cheddar and lots of bacon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 poppers 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 10 medium/large jalapenos
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- thinly sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a cooling rack on top of the parchment paper.
- Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the ribs and seeds and discard.
- In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, bacon (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish), 1/2 of the shredded cheese, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- Divide filling evenly between the cavities of the jalapenos.
- Place filled jalapenos about an inch apart on the cooling rack on the baking sheet.
- Divide remaining cheddar cheese evenly between the poppers. Rather than sprinkling the cheese on top, try to gently push it into the filling. This will hold it in place and keep it from all falling onto the cooling rack.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender but still hold their shape.
- Garnish with reserved crumbled bacon and sliced green onion!
Notes
- It’s really helpful to wear a pair of food-safe gloves while you’re making these poppers! If you don’t wear gloves, you will undoubtedly end up with spicy jalapeno oil on your hands. Which is totally fine, but it’s a little tricky to wash off!
- If you do get jalapeno juice/oil on your hands, try coating them in olive oil, then thoroughly wash the oil off. You may have to do this a couple times to get all of the oil and jalapeno juice off. If you are a fellow contact wearer like myself, be sure you get all the oil off before handling your contacts. Or if you can, take your contacts out before you make these and don’t put them back in until the next day!
- Don’t overbake the jalapeno poppers! I like to check on them around the 15 minute mark and give the peppers a little poke. The peppers should be tender but still have a bit of a crunch to them. There’s nothing worse than a limp, over baked popper!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jalapeno popper
- Calories: 136
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 182.4 mg
- Fat: 12.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
This post was originally published in December of 2018. It was updated in December of 2019 to include process shots, step-by-step instructions, and tips for making these jalapeno poppers perfect every single time!
These went perfectly with my meal..homemade chili & cornbread muffins..along with watermelon…yummy!…so easy to assemble…it’s only me, so made 1/2 batch…baked 2…remainder in freezer for another day 💕
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I’m so glad you liked these jalapeno poppers Diana!
I’m planning on making these for upcoming Father’s Day cookout. I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love that I can prepare these in advance!! I was just wondering if you think I could use the air fryer instead of oven? If I try it in air fryer I will let you know how they turn out and will leave a star review 😊
Thanks so much!
Becki
Yes! The air fryer would be a great option for these jalapeno poppers! I’d probably air fry them at around 350 degrees or so which should give the pepper enough time to cook through while heating the filling as well. Great question, Becki! Can’t wait to hear how they turn out!
I love this recipe! I didn’t think I liked poppers until I made this for my son, I ate more than he did! thanks so much
Love this recipe. So simple and tasty. Only thing I did different was that I used a whpped cream cheese as the ingredients were much easier to mix together. Can’t wait to fire up the garden this year so I can make more.
The whipped cream is such a great idea, Mike! I am definitely going to try that next time. I’m so glad you enjoyed these jalapeno poppers – thanks for leaving a review!
Thank you for this amazing recipe Kylie…My poppers were absolutely delicious 😋 I’ve been searching for different recipes for jalapeños as I have them in my garden and I didn’t expect to produce so many..lol..I can’t believe how easy your recipe is..it’s definitely my favorite! Have a wonderful week 😊
Fantastic tips to try! Mine never turn out and now I see several places where I have failed to remove Capsaicin from your fingers rub them with fresh lemon juice
Lemon juice is a great tip too! Might have to add that to the post 🙂
This how we always make them except we put Everglades seasoning to taste in the mix, lay a piece of bacon over the top & brush with maple syrup. Yummy
These are amazing! Mixing the cheeses with the bacon made them super easy to make. The green onion is the perfect finish that brings the flavors together. Yum!
Yay! I love to hear this!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks so much for leaving a rating and a comment Michelle!