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Home » Blog » Appetizer and Snack Recipes » Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers

Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers

Cathy Roma Published: Sep 17, 2020

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Creamy, spicy, and smoky, these bacon and cheddar jalapeño poppers are the perfect party food and downright addictive!
Creamy, spicy, and smoky, these bacon and cheddar jalapeño poppers are the perfect party food and downright addictive!
Overhead shot of a serving plate of Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers on a striped table linen.

The return of football season means the return of my favorite game day eats like these bacon and cheddar jalapeño poppers. They are the perfect grab and go appetizer, delicious when paired with a cold beer or part of a big spread.

Tailgating looks a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean your menu has to suffer. You can whip up a batch of these jalapeño poppers for a group or just a few as the recipe is very easy to scale up or down.

Jalapeno poppers baked on a lined sheet tray.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a surplus of jalapeños growing in my little garden and I knew when I picked a dozen that cheesy, crispy jalapeño poppers were in sight.

Truth told, I’ll take any excuse to make (and gobble up) jalapeño poppers as they have been one of my guilty pleasure foods for years. But I no longer feel guilty! Sure, these are cheesy and have a good amount of bacon mixed in, but they are also baked and not fried.

Cream cheese, cheddar and bacon stuffed jalapeno poppers with a crisp topping.

The fresh jalapeños make these pop, but the heat is manageable and actually pretty tame after the seeds and membranes are scooped out. You can also prep these poppers a day in advance and bake them just before serving so you can fully enjoy the game!

Let’s make Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers

Step by step photos showing how to make Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers. Halve and seed the jalapeños (1), fill the jalapeños (2), top with panko topping (3), bake until hot and browned (4).
  1. Halve and seed the jalapeños, including removing the membranes. Lay the halves on a lined sheet pan.
  2. Mix up the filling and scoop into the halves.
  3. Mix up the topping and spoon over the filling, pressing lightly to adhere.
  4. Bake until the filling is hot, jalapeños softened, and topping is golden brown.
Crispy jalapeno poppers on a wood tray ready for serving.

Tips for success

  • Be sure to use jalapeños that are the same size so they cook evenly.
  • Removing the seeds AND membranes will lesson the heat dramatically in your jalapeño poppers. LOVE heat? Leave some membranes intact. Use a spoon to scrape out the peppers!
  • I always take a piece off the bottom of the halved jalapeños so they sit flat and don’t tip over as they bake.
  • You can prep the jalapeños a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. Add a few minutes to the cooking time if they’ve been chilled.
  • These are best served right out of the oven when the filling is hot. If desired, serve with a creamy ranch dressing for dipping.

More game day eats!

  • Crispy Asian Chicken Wings 
  • Baked Buffalo Wings
  • Pigs in the Blanker (with a TWIST)
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
  • Buffalo Chicken Sliders
  • Sausage Rolls
Overhead shot of a serving plate of Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers on a striped table linen.
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Crispy jalapeno poppers on a wood tray ready for serving.
Print
Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Creamy, spicy, and smoky, these bacon and cheddar jalapeño poppers are the perfect party food and downright addictive!

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: jalapeno poppers
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 305 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…
Ingredients
  • 12 jalapenos, sliced lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz Mexican cheese blend, shredded and divided (or cheddar cheese)
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Use a serrated knife to remove just a bit of the bottom of each jalapeno half so they sit flat on the baking sheet. Place the halved jalapenos on the baking sheet.

    Jalapeños halved and ready for filling for Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers.
  3. Reserve one cup of shredded cheese and one strip of crumbled bacon for the topping. Mix together the cream cheese, the remaining shredded cheese, bacon, scallions, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

  4. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs with one strip of crumbled bacon and one cup of shredded cheese. Stir in the olive oil so the crumbs are wet.

  5. Fill each jalapeno half with the cream chese filling.

    Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers filled and ready for topping.
  6. Spoon the bread crumb mixture on top, pressing slightly to adhere.

    Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers filled and topped and ready for the oven.
  7. Bake until the filling is bubbly, the jalapenos softened and the bread crumb topping is golden brown, about 20 mins. Serve hot.

    Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers baked on a sheet tray.
Recipe Notes
  • Be sure to use jalapeños that are the same size so they cook evenly.
  • Removing the seeds AND membranes will lesson the heat dramatically in your jalapeño poppers. LOVE heat? Leave some membranes intact. Use a spoon to scrape out the peppers!
  • I always take a piece off the bottom of the halved jalapeños so they sit flat and don’t tip over as they bake.
  • You can prep the jalapeños a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. Add a few minutes to the cooking time if they’ve been chilled.
  • These are best served right out of the oven when the filling is hot. If desired, serve with a creamy ranch dressing for dipping.
Nutrition Facts
Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 305 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 595mg26%
Potassium 190mg5%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 797IU16%
Vitamin C 31mg38%
Calcium 232mg23%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
4

Appetizer and Snack Recipes, Recipe jalepeno poppers, cream cheese filling, bacon and cheddar, appetizer, game day, jalapeno, tailgating, jalapenos

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

Learn More about Cathy

Subscribe now to receive my exclusive guide of How to Stock a Pantry delivered straight to your inbox!

Join the What Should I Make For... Community to learn what to cook to when to achieve a happier, more balanced life.

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