Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers are the perfect party appetizer. They're stuffed with creamy cheesy goodness and then wrapped with bacon and baked until crispy.
Servings: 24 appetizers
Equipment
- sharp knife
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 12 medium whole jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 12 slices uncooked bacon, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine.
- Fill each jalapeño half with some of the cheese mixture and wrap with one-half slice bacon. Secure bacon with a toothpick and set on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven and bake until the cheese mixture is golden-brown and bubbly, and the bacon is cooked through, approximately 20-25 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet once halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the them to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking time, use peppers of the same size.
- Try using different peppers in this recipe. Habeneros, sweet mini bell peppers, chili peppers, or choose your favorite.
- Substitute the cheddar cheese for pepper jack, Monterey jack, white cheddar, or your favorite blend.
- Secure the bacon to the pepper with toothpicks before baking. They can be removed after.
- To give the peppers a little handle using the stems: slice right through the stem as you cut them in half lengthwise.
- Leaving some or all of the seeds in the peppers for a spicier bite.
- You can bake, air fry, or grill the hot peppers.
- Don’t overfill or the cheese will ooze out all over the place as they bake.
- Thin-cut bacon is best as it will crisp and cook faster than thickly sliced.
- Let them cool a few minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set.
- Vegetarian option: omit the bacon.
- This recipe is keto-friendly and low-carb.
- Skip the bacon and add cooked crumbled sausage to the cheese mixture.