Jalapeno Poppers are my obsession! Fresh Jalapenos are sliced in half and filled with a rich creamy cheese filling and topped with a crisp Panko topping. These poppers are baked until golden and bubbly for the perfect game day snack!

This easy Jalapeno Popper recipe makes the perfect bite; crispy, creamy, spicy, cheesy… and quite honestly the best appetizer ever!

Jalapeno Poppers in a bowl

Jalapeno Popper Dip is not only my daughter’s favorite recipe of all time, it’s the one recipe I’m asked to bring to every single gathering. I love jalapenos in any way, shape or form! Making homemade poppers is super easy and tastes way better than frozen store bought or restaurant!

How to Cut a Jalapeno

You guys, whatever you do, please please please don’t cut these without wearing gloves (and don’t touch your face). The oils in the peppers can cause burns on your hands, I speak from experience, it’s VERY painful.

The spice in jalapeños is found in the seeds and inner membranes.  To reduce the heat in this recipe, clean out all of the (light colored) inner membrane and seeds. If you like lots of heat, leave a little bit of membrane.

When I cut the jalapeños for poppers, I cut them lengthwise and try to keep the stem intact on both halves (mainly for appearance).

To cut jalapenos to make jalapeno poppers:

  1. Put on gloves!!
  2. Slice jalapenos in half lengthwise.
  3. Using a small spoon, scoop out seeds and membranes and discard.

Raw ingredients for Jalapeno Poppers

 How to Make Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers have a few essentials; the jalapeno itself, a creamy filling and breading.

  • Jalapenos: Obviously!! We use fresh and slice them in half (as  mentioned above). If you have people in your group who cannot tolerate any spice (like my husband) you can also make these using baby bell peppers which don’t have heat! Make some of each!
  • Cheesy Filling: Cream cheese is the base and I add in a sharp cheddar as it has more flavor. I also add a dash of garlic powder and some chives which you can add or skip. I find green onions have a bit too much onion flavor so chives add just the right amount (or add a pinch of onion powder if you’d like). You can also add crisp cooked bacon, cilantro or your own favorites!
  • Crispy Breading: A traditional deep fried popper has a breaded coating. When making baked poppers, I find it’s not worth the time/effort to try to coat the whole jalapeno in crumbs. Instead, I make a simple Panko topping to sprinkle on top for the perfect crunch! If you’d like to make keto Jalapeno Poppers, simply skip the bread crumbs for your low carb friends!
  • Optional: There are lots of amazing things you can add to jalapeno poppers! If you’d like skip the bread crumbs and wrap them in bacon to make Bacon Wrapped Poppers! Add your favorites; onions, monterey jack cheese, ground beef or sausage. The sky really is the limit!

Jalapeno Poppers on a tray

At a restaurant, they’re usually coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried and while I love them, I truly do not love deep frying. I dislike the smell and the mess and to be honest, I these baked jalapeno poppers taste even better than the fried ones.

How Long to Bake Jalapeno Poppers

I bake these poppers about 20 minutes, enough to soften the peppers and melt the cheese. You don’t want them too soft or they’re hard to pick up and eat!

Once baked, serve these alongside some cool ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Jalapeno Poppers topped with chives

Jalapeno Poppers can be made a couple of days in advance or even prepared well ahead of time and frozen. Cook right from frozen about 25-30 minutes at 425°F.

More Jalapeno Recipes You’ll Love

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Jalapeno Poppers in a bowl
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Jalapeno Poppers

These easy jalapeno poppers are a game day favorite! Jalapenos are stuffed with a cheesy filling, topped with a buttery bread crumb topping and baked until golden.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 12 jalapeños
  • 6 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Wearing gloves, slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and membranes.
  • In a bowl mix cream cheese, garlic powder, cheddar cheese and chives (if using).
  • In a separate bowl, combine Panko crumbs and melted butter.
  • Fill jalapenos with the cheese mixture. Top with crumbs.
  • Place on a baking pan and bake 18-22 minutes or until golden.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
4.98 from 510 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 104 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 66mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 16.9mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Jalapeno Poppers with title
Jalapeno Poppers with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. These are addictive! I made exactly as described and loved them. I had a little extra filling and no more jalapenos, so I made a few banana pepper poppers as well–equally good.

  2. I would like to freeze these. Should they be cooked before freezing or after and if after, how long do you suggest cooking from frozen (or should they be thawed first)? Thanks!

    1. I think they should be okay frozen and reheated, just seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag. I would thaw them first and then reheat in the oven according to the recipe instructions. They may be a little softer in texture though. You could also freeze the cheese mixture and use fresh jalapenos and breadcrumbs when rebaking for a crunchier texture.

  3. My first time ever making Jalapeno Poppers. I used your recipe as a base, omitted GF Panko crumbs. My second recipe called for Mexican Cheese and diced fried bacon on top of the cheese mixture. I didn’t want to fuss so mixed the fried bacon into the cheese mixture and also added some mild cheddar cheese. Delicious!5 stars

  4. Family absolutely loved the peppers. I cannot eat gluten. I used flattened corn chex. I could of used corn flakes instead. Anyway the peppers were great.5 stars

  5. I made these poppers as an app for a dinner party and they received rave reviews! Recipe was easy to follow. The only change I made was I didn’t butter the panko and they were still delicious!5 stars

  6. I have made these poppers in the past. They were very well received by all the guests, and I really liked that they werent’ deep fried. I have another chance to bring them to a party, and I know they will not disappoint!5 stars

  7. These were great! Instead of Panko I used crumbled jalapeño cheetos or the scorchin hot ones, it kicked these up a notch!

  8. my son and I made these, but since I need to cook gluten free we wrapped them in bacon instead of the crumb topping. AMAZING. Will be making again.5 stars

    1. Just so you know, they make gf panko. The crumbs are a little larger so I just roll them smaller in a sealed bag. Maybe use corn chip crumbs.5 stars

  9. Oops I made a mistake hehe. I can fix it though. I didn’t see the part where you put the butter and panko ON TOP but as I was making it I thought “Hm weird these don’t go on top!”

    They do Kristi lol.

    Anyway, these were super-duper easy, and they tasted yummy! The only change I made was a dash of salt over each one when it was done because it wasn’t salty enough for me!5 stars