Elevate your appetizer game with oven-baked jalapeño poppers, no messy bacon wrapping required! Baked at 400°F for 10 minutes, my poppers are stuffed with a creamy blend of cream cheese and cheddar, then topped with crispy, crumbly bacon that's mixed with raspberry jam for a touch of sweetness. It's a Southern-inspired treat that nicely balances salty and sweet, Yields 16-20.
Y'all I love baked jalapeno poppers!
I know I am not the only one. When it comes to my Southern roots, SEC tailgates, summer outdoor BBQ's, and game days call for classic Southern appetizers and snacks like my reader-favorite buffalo chicken dip sliders...or these cream cheese jalapeño poppers!
But listen, I can't just leave them plain Jane - I need to elevate them with a little Southern flair! A little extra because why the heck not.
We have salty and sweet - heat and cool - crunchy and soft ... like literally hitting all of the taste buds in one bite. Let me show you how I like to assemble these so you can wow your guests the next time game day rolls around!
Welcome to my kitchen!
There are just a couple of steps in making this. After making this recipe multiple times, this is the order that I like to go in to save time and easy assembly.
STEP 1 - Garlic Aioli
STEP 2 - Crunchy Bacon
STEP 4 - Cream Cheese Filling
Step 5 - Assembly
*pro tip* I always wear disposable kitchen gloves when working with jalapenos. I have rubbed my face HOURS later too many times that I have learned my lesson. This will save you - promise!
Recipe
Baked Jalapeno Poppers with Crispy Bacon Bits
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16-20 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Elevate your appetizer game with oven-baked jalapeño poppers - no messy bacon wrapping required! Baked at 400°F for 10 minutes, my poppers are stuffed with a creamy blend of cream cheese and cheddar, then topped with crispy, crumbly bacon that's mixed with raspberry jam for a touch of sweetness. It's a Southern-inspired treat that nicely balances salty and sweet, Yields 16-20.
Ingredients
- 8-10 Large Jalapeños
- 4 Ounces Cream Cheese - room temperature
- ½ Cup Cheddar Cheese - freshly grated
- ½ Shallot - finely diced
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
- ⅛ Teaspoon Mustard Powder
Crispy Bacon Topping
- 1 Pound Bacon
- 1-2 Tablespoons of Fig or Raspberry Jam
Garlic Aioli Drizzle
- ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- Juice of ½ Lemon - about 1 Tablespoon
- 1 Garlic Clove - finely grated
- ⅛ Teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ Teaspoon Pepper
- ⅛ Teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ⅛ Teaspoon Cayenne
Instructions
Garlic Aioli
- In a small bowl, combine all of the aioli ingredients. I like to use a Microplane to grate the garlic. Whisk to combine and set in the fridge to rest until needed.
Crispy Bacon
- Using kitchen shears, cut bacon into small pieces and place it inside a large skillet. Turn on medium to medium-low heat and cook until the bacon bits are nice and crispy.
- Remove the bits from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to cool and drain until needed.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Freshly grate the cheddar cheese.
- In a bowl, add the softened cream cheese, grated cheddar cheese, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a spatula until combined and smooth.
Assembly
- Slice each jalapeño in half. Scrape out the seeds and ribbing of each pepper with a spoon.
- Spoon some of the cream cheese mixture inside each jalapeño and place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Stuff each one until all the cheese is used.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Once the poppers have finished cooking, remove them from the oven.
- In a bowl, add the crispy bacon bits and 1-2 tablespoons of desired jam. Mix gently until the bacon is coated. Wait to do this until right before serving to keep the bacon as crispy as possible.
- Spoon garlic aioli into a zip-tip bag and snip a very tiny bit off the corner. Drizzle aioli over the top of each popper. Place on a platter and serve immediately hot and fresh!
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips
- The garlic aioli can be made and kept in the fridge until needed for up to 5 days prior.
- The bacon bits can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days prior. Do not mix with the jam until right before serving.
- The cream cheese filling can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days prior.
- You can stuff the jalapeños with the filling and store them covered in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
- It is best to assemble everything with the candied bacon and aioli drizzle right before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 151
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 276.5 mg
- Fat: 13.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.3 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 24.7 mg
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