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

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

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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!