The Key Ingredient For Jalapeño Poppers With A Smoky Twist

When you're preparing to impress your guests with an appetizer-filled event, it's easy to fall back on classic finger foods. They're quick to make, a safe bet that many will love, and — let's face it — they're simply delicious. Jalapeño poppers — surely one of the best recipes featuring cream cheese — definitely fall into this category. But, if you're tired of creating the same old traditional appetizer, why not elevate your starter with a savory, salty, crunchy twist? It's simple: just add bacon.

The filling is rich and delicious, blending shredded cheese — cheddar is ideal — with cream cheese. This creamy mixture gets stuffed into jalapeños, then the whole thing is wrapped in smoky bacon and cooked until crispy. If you're a dairy fan, feel free to load up on the filling. For the perfect bite, slice your jalapeños in half and stuff them generously — one side or both, depending on your filling preferences. Once packed, press the halves back together, and wrap them in bacon. A good hack to stop your jalapeño poppers falling apart is to secure them with toothpicks or skewers.

When it comes to the bacon, thin slices work best. They wrap more easily around the jalapeño poppers, plus they become perfectly crisp once cooked. You could go for center cut or regular bacon as they're similar in thickness, but the fat percentages varies.

There are plenty of options for cooking bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers. If you're feeding a crowd, pop them in the oven. For an outdoor barbecue, you could toss them on the grill. Alternatively, try the air fryer — they only need a light drizzle of oil to get that desired crispy outside and gooey center. Whether you're prepping for a party or upgrading your game day snack, bacon jalapeño poppers deliver a perfect balance of spicy, creamy, and savory. And there are so many ways you can experiment with the flavors and textures.

If you're into crunchier textures, why not bread your poppers before cooking them? No need to ditch the beloved bacon — just change its shape. Add bacon bits to your cream cheese mixture to maintain the salty goodness, then bread the stuffed jalapeños right after. You could also spice things up with different cream cheese flavors. Try adding pepper jelly cream cheese, or another fun variation, and see which one gets the most compliments at your next party. If spice isn't your forte, don't fear — the dairy-packed filling helps mellow out the heat of the pepper. If you picked an extra-hot batch of jalapeños, simply scrape out the white pith where the seeds are; this is where peppers mainly hold capsaicin, or what gives them their heat.

Store your leftovers — if there are any — in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three days. It's not recommended to freeze these delicious savory bites, though. Although you can freeze cream cheese, it may thaw unevenly and create an unappetizing grainy texture when reheated.