Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers know how to bring some heat to a party. These bad boys are overstuffed with cheese and wrapped with thick center-cut bacon to make an indulgent appetizer for any get-together. This recipe makes 24 extra-large poppers. But still, that might not be enough for your ravenous guests. A warning Label is attached though: Extremely Addictive.
Ingredients
- Cheeses: Cream Cheese & Smoked Gouda - You can use whatever cheese with the cream cheese you like. I chose smoked gouda because I wanted some smokiness with the poppers. You can add some spiciness by choosing shredded pepper jack. A nice all-around good choice is always sharp or mild cheddar. Whatever substitute you use, it needs to have a good melting quality but be somewhat firm.
- Jalapenos - Choose younger jalapenos that are extra large. They are more plump and able to hold plenty of cheese.
- Thick Cut Bacon - Center-cut bacon is a great choice because it is leaner and will not shrivel as much when cooked.
How To Make Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Peppers
Step #1 - Prep the Jalapeno Peppers
Slice the jalapeno peppers lengthwise. You can cut off the stem if you like. But I think it adds some character to the end product, so I left them on. I tried to cut through them so both halves would show the stem. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
Spoon out the inside of the peppers. Use caution when you remove seeds and pith from the peppers. When your skin comes in direct contact with the oils from the inside of the peppers, it can burn and irritate your skin for hours afterward.
Step #2 - Stuffing the Jalapenos with Cheese Filling
Mix cream cheese with the shredded smoked gouda then heap this cheese filling onto the jalapeno halves.
Step #3 - Wrap the Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Bacon
Start at one end of the jalapeno and wrap the bacon around about 3 times to the other end. Both bacon ends should be tucked under the bottom of the pepper with the cheese side up. There's no need to secure them with toothpicks. The bacon, when it cooks up, tends to cling to the poppers especially if they're secure under the pepper.
Step #4 - Bake the Jalapeno Poppers Wrapped in Bacon
Bake these in batches and on a wire rack over a parchment-covered cookie sheet. The wire rack helps the heat permeate all around the jalapeno poppers and cook them evenly. Start them in a 425°F oven for about thirty minutes so the bacon will get a decent crisp to itself. Turn the heat down to 375°F and continued cooking for another 20 minutes. Be extremely careful when you pull them out of the oven. Let them cool slightly before cramming one of these hot babies in your mouth. I've had it scorch the roof of my mouth before.
How to choose the best jalapenos
There is a way to find the right amount of heat without playing Russian roulette when choosing jalapenos from the grocery bin. If you want a milder pepper, choose those that are bright green, plump, and smooth in texture. These are the younger jalapenos.
With age, the jalapeno peppers, will show lines and wrinkles. The longer they age, the spicier they become. If you're looking for extra heat in your poppers, choose jalapenos that have white lines down the pepper, are a little wrinkly, and shriveling just a bit. All of this indicates they're older and hotter.
Can You Use an Air Fryer?
Absolutely! Set the temperature to 370°F and preheat for 10 minutes. Place the poppers individually with the cheese side up and with space between them. Cook for 12-15 minutes checking them after about 10 minutes. Once the bacon is crispy and the jalapenos are tender, remove them from the fryer and place them on a baking rack to cool slightly.
Can you Grill Jalapeno Poppers?
Yes. Preheat an outdoor grill on medium heat for 10 minutes until the grill is nice and hot. Turn off half the burners and place the poppers (cheese side up) on the side with indirect heat. Grill the Jalapeno Poppers for about 20 minutes then transfer them to the side of the grill with direct heat. Continue to cook for another three to five minutes until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the grill and let them slightly cool.
Can You cook these Poppers on a Smoker?
Certainly. We recently purchased a Traeger Smoker although haven't had the time to try these out yet. BUT we have had them at my brother's house and I gotta tell you, they were fabulous. I'll let you know when we throw these on our own Traeger. In the meantime check out this post from Traeger themselves.
Are These Jalapeno Poppers Keto Friendly?
If you are on a low-carb, keto-friendly diet, these appetizers are perfect for you. They only have 3g of carbs and 0g of both fiber and sugar. Throw a "keto" get-together with the Baked Jalapeno Poppers and, I promise, you will be the hit of the party!
Can You Make Jalapeno Poppers ahead of time?
How to Freeze ahead of time.
Prepare the poppers as directed but instead of popping them in the oven, place them individually on a cookie sheet and freeze for about two hours. Remove and place them in plastic freezer bags or an airtight container. They will store for up to four months in the freezer. When you're ready to serve, cook the frozen poppers per the original recipe until the bacon is crisp and the jalapeno pepper is tender.
How to Refrigerate ahead of time.
Prepare them as usual, but instead of baking, place the cheese-filled, bacon-wrapped jalapenos in an air-tight container. These will store in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to serve bake as directed.
Creamy, luscious, salty, and spicy all in one bite. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then here, my dear friends, is my thousand-word thesis on Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. These are the perfect appetizers for a game day party.
Other Appetizers With Bacon:
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PrintBacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Jalapeno Poppers are always a hit at any party. These appetizers bring a nice bit of heat. Stuffed with cream cheese and smoked gouda then wrapped with thick center-cut hickory smoked bacon slices.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 24 extra large Jalapeño Poppers 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 extra large Jalapeños
- 2 cups Shredded Smoked Gouda
- 2 - 8 ounces packages of Cream Cheese
- 24 strips Thick Center Cut Hickory Smoked Bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Mix the shredded smoked gouda and cream cheese with a wooden spoon in a medium-size bowl.
- With gloves on, cut the Jalapeños in half and spoon out the seeds and the ribs of the pepper. If you want extra heat, leave some of the white pith in the inside.
- Heap the cheese mixture into each jalapeño half.
- Wrap a whole slice of bacon around the jalapeño and cheese about three times, starting at one end and ending at the other. Tuck the bacon ends under the jalapeños with the cheese side up.
- Place the poppers on a wire rack that sits on a cookie sheet with parchment paper under it.
- Cook the poppers at 425°F for 30 minutes until the bacon starts to crisp a bit. Then turn the heat down to 375°F and cook for another 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown and the jalapeños are nice and tender when punctured with a fork.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly. They are extremely hot when they first come out of the oven.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For a milder pepper, choose those that are bright green, plump, and smooth in texture. These are the younger jalapeños.
- The ribs and the white pith are what actually hold the heat of the jalapeño. For a little extra heat, you can leave some of the white pith in when spooning out the insides.
- For extra heat in your poppers, choose jalapeños that have white lines down the pepper, a little wrinkly and are shriveling just a bit, which all indicates they are older and hotter.
- You can use whatever cheese with the cream cheese you like. I wanted a smoky flavor, so I chose smoked gouda. Add some more spiciness by choosing shredded pepper jack. A nice all around good choice is always sharp or mild cheddar.
- When handling the jalapeño peppers, please use gloves. They have a fiery burning effect to your skin that can last for several hours.
- You can cut off the stem if you like. But I think it adds some character to the end product, so I left them on.
- When filling the jalapeño halves with the cheese mixture, make sure you heap it in.
- Use a whole slice of thick bacon for one jalapeño popper. Also chose thick center-cut bacon because it is a leaner cut and doesn't shrivel up as much when cooked.
- If you decide to go with a smaller jalapeño, you could cut the bacon slices in half. But the poppers need to be well covered when wrapping them with bacon. Both bacon ends should be tucked under the bottom of the pepper with the cheese side up.
- There's no need to secure them with toothpicks. The bacon, when it cooks up, tends to cling to the poppers especially if they're secured well under each end.
- I baked these on a wire rack over a parchment-covered cookie sheet. It helps the heat permeate all around the jalapeño poppers and cook evenly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 extra large Jalapeño Popper
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
Craig Stone says
Awesome stuff. I love these and love the way you entice your readers with your writing.
Kristy Murray says
Thanks so much Craig!! I do love these jalapeno poppers. They're quite addictive. Thanks for stopping by.
Chrissy says
After years of cooking poppers on the grill and dealing with the mess created by bacon grease and cheese spilling out, I was thrilled to find this recipe. I use it exclusively now and people rave about these poppers. I think the smoked Gouda gives it more of a rich flavor. Tonight Iβm fixing them as an appetizer and have added a half of a dove breast (boned) to the jalapeΓ±o with cheese, wrapping it all in bacon. Weβll see how it goes, but I would imagine itβs going to be delicious!
Kristy Murray says
Hi Chrissy. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm so happy you are enjoying the poppers. I do agree about grilling versus the oven. I love that you added a dove breast. What a great idea. I'm definitely interested in how it turns out. Thanks again.
David @ Spiced says
This is a classic appetizer for sure! Truth be told, I could turn this recipe into dinner...just don't tell anyone how many I eat, ok? π I do love jalapeno poppers! Years ago, we went to a Taste of Atlanta event where they made jalapeno poppers...but also included a cooked shrimp in the middle of each. They called 'em Rat Toes. Not the best name, but they were fun...and spicy! Thanks for the great recipe!!