Jalapeno Popper Dip is my go to party appetizer. Rich cream cheese, spicy diced jalapenos and sharp cheddar are topped with crispy Panko bread crumbs and baked until warm and gooey. The result is the most incredible dip, reminiscent of the appetizer we all love so much!
There are very few things I love more than cheese. It is, by far, my favorite food and you’ll find no shortage of cheese recipes here! I also love anything with a little heat so, of course, I naturally love Jalapeno Poppers!
This easy appetizer takes the delicious flavors of Jalapeno Poppers and makes them into a totally delicious scoopable bite. Quick, easy, and totally addictive, this is the perfect party dip for any time of year and can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
This Jalapeno Popper Dip first appeared on the blog in early 2013 and I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made it since then! It’s literally my daughter’s favorite recipe on my whole site and it’s the one thing that people ask me to bring to parties over and over again!
You can use fresh jalapenos or canned in this recipe. I usually use canned jalapenos because I prefer the flavor. If you’d like to use fresh jalapenos, I’d suggest roasting them first. This dip bakes until it gets warm and melty so if the jalapenos aren’t pre-cooked they’ll still be crunchy.
And just a note, I have successfully replaced the sour cream in this recipe with Greek yogurt several times. If you’re a bacon fan, you can add about 1/4 cup crisp chopped bacon into the mixture.
To prepare this jalapeno popper dip ahead of time, combine the ingredients as directed and spread it into the dish and refrigerate. Combine the topping ingredients and place them in a separate container or sandwich bag and sprinkle them on just before baking.
We like to serve this with bagel chips, tortilla chips, crackers or bread. It’s also delicious spooned into crisp wonton cups or rolled up in crescent rolls and baked.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces diced jalapeños 1 can well drained, see notes for fresh jalapeno
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Topping
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- With a mixer on medium, combine cream cheese, garlic powder and sour cream until fluffy.
- Add cheddar cheese, ¾ cup parmesan cheese, and diced jalapenos, mix well.
- Spread into an 8x8 baking dish.
- Combine bread crumbs, melted butter, ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping over the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, or until hot and breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Tex Mex© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Hi! Do you think that I could substitute the sour cream with plain yogurt for this recipe?
That’d work just fine Lindsay! The texture may be slightly different, but it will still be delicious!
Do you use pickled jalapeños? I don’t think I’ve seen canned jalapeños that weren’t pickled.
Both work Heather!
You can find canned jalapeños in the store near the “Spanish section” like Goya and salsa’s etc. The Walmart by me has them in the same isle as salsa, taco stuff and they have canned jalapeño’s and canned green chiles just in case you need them. The canned ones are not pickled and you can get them usually regular or fire roasted! But I would totally recommend roasting your own! Super easy and the flavor is awesome
Hi! I was wondering if I make and bake this two days ahead of time, will it still be okay if I reheat it when it’s needed?
Sure you can. You can also prep ahead and bake just before serving.
Absolutely wonderful! Got rave reviews! Thank you so much!
Can this dip be frozen?
Yes, this dip freezes well before baking.
I made this dip and it has become big hit for family and friends. Really easy to make. I used fresh roasted jalapenos. One batch fits perfectly in a small pie plate. Awesome tailgate app! At the request of others I made this 3 times in a month for different events.
Highly reccomend!
This is a delicious appetizer and so easy to make. I have divided the dip between two dishes and have freezed one for later. Turns out perfectly out of the freezer and heated. My book club loves it as do my adult kids. It is a keeper and I have made it a few times.
Oops freezed should be frozen. ♀️
I brought this jalapeño popper dip to an event I was invited to and it was devoured. It was rated as a keeper! So easy to make. I used chopped jalapeños that I had in my freezer.
The only change I made was using breadcrumbs instead of panko because I did not have panko in my pantry. Turned out awesome regardless.
I will make this again.
this dip is delicious. made for my 1st time on Dunday and again today because my wife was having friends over. I did add bacon to the dip the 2nd time around and it was better than the 1st but you can’t go wrong either way. thanks for sharing this recipe.
I’d like to try this recipe later in the fall when it’s cooler weather. Is it possible to freeze raw jalapeños peppers?
Yes you can freeze jalalpeno peppers Lorraine! The frozen peppers once thawed will be a little softer, which will be perfect in this popper dip recipe.
I just found your site and made this for the first time, it was great! Thanks for sharing! I have quite a bit leftover since it’s just my husband and I, I was wondering if I can refrigerate and put back in the oven to eat another day?c
Most definitely! You can store it in the refrigerator and then reheat it until the cheese is melted and delicious and serve it again the next day. I also love using leftover dip to make Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken, or Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese as well! So yummy!!
Can this be placed in a crockpot, if so how long would it take?
You won’t get the breadcrumb topping crispy if made in the crockpot but I would say about 2-3 hrs on low should be enough to melt all the cheese still!
you could always put the breadcrumbs on a cookie sheet and broil them until crispy and then add them on top
Hi Holly, I am dying to try this recipe … but I need to know what size dish to use, please?
I have been through an incredible number of your recipes and have bookmarked at least 30 of them. I hope I live long enough to try them all! LOL
I use an 8×8 baking dish but any small casserole dish, baking pan (or even pie plate) will work just fine! Enjoy the recipes.
Can I heat this up and then wait an hour or so to serve it and it still taste great??
Personally, I think this dip is delicious is hot or cold! But there is something extra delicious about the cheesy melted goodness of this dip. You can prep it ahead of time and then bake it when ready to serve or bake and then reheat it when ready to serve for the best flavor!
I am already on my 3rd time to make this, and this time I’m doubling the amount for a large crowd! I made it for the first time for a Christmas party for 30. The second time was for the Super Bowl party we hosted, and there was none left over. I can easily see this becoming my go to dip for any occasion!
Yay Lee! Definitely a favorite at any gathering here too!
I was wondering how much is a serving? I’m eager to try this but I’m currently watching my calories and would like to know what measurements to use to log this!
Hi Yakoh, we recommend using a calorie tracking app like MyFitnessPal for accurate results but serving is about ⅓ to ½ of a cup. Hope that helps!
Any substitute you can make for parsley? I just made this recipe and realized I don’t have any!
You can leave the parsley out, the dip will still be great!
This was delicious. I would like to know if it can put in the freezer? Thank you
You sure can! Defrost in the fridge overnight before baking and I’d leave the breadcrumb mixture separately (in a little freezer bag) and sprinkle before baking.
Well this was a surprise hit. The most repeated phrase of the night? ‘Is there any more of this dip?’ I think next time i make it i will double the recipe since 8 people annihilated it in roughly 10 minutes. It’s great.
We love this dip too, Mike! It is definitely my go-to for a party.
I wonder how it would be with some crispy bacon pieces mixed in or spread over the top?!
It’d be fabulous! Enjoy the dip, you won’t be disappointed!
Taste tested it as we prepared, and decided to stir some juice from the jar of picked jalapeños to give it a little more zing! Delicious!