Why have regular jalapeno poppers when you can have bacon jalapeno poppers? And why go through the mess of deep-frying when you can make these easy and delicious, crispy, bacon jalapeno poppers entirely in your air fryer. If you love bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers but hate the mess of making them, this is the recipe for you.
Deep-fried cream cheese jalapeno poppers are an original Texas treat! But air frying jalapeno poppers has been a game-changer for me, and I guarantee it will be for you too.
There’s no need to lug out the deep fryer or clean up an oily mess when they’re finished. Just get straight to enjoying delicious, crispy cheese and bacon stuffed jalapenos.
They have all the deliciousness of the original deep-fried, bacon-wrapped jalapeno popper with none of the hassle or mess. When they say “God blessed Texas”, they aren’t kidding. This recipe might just be jalapeno popper heaven.
Why You’ll Love These Air Fried Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
- Easy to make – just combine, fill, and air-fry this poppers recipe
- Made fully in the air fryer – no need to pull out extra pans or any oil
- Easier to eat – because it uses bacon pieces vs being completely wrapped in bacon
- Crispy topping – they still have that deep fried crispy crunch without being drenched in oil
Ingredients for Jalapeno Poppers
- Jalapenos
- Cream cheese
- Pepper jack cheese
- Bacon pieces
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Butter, melted
Substitutions & Alterations
- Pepper jack cheese – If you want to tone the spice level down a little, you can use shredded cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack. I recommend using a sharp cheddar so the flavor doesn’t get lost in the bacon and jalapeno.
- Cooked bacon – feel free to cook your own bacon. I wrote this recipe using cooked bacon pieces (easily available at the grocery store) for simplicity and ease. You could also make the bacon in your air fryer right before making the poppers.
How to Make Jalapeno Poppers
- Take each jalapeno and slice it lengthwise. Wash, trim and remove all ribs and seeds leaving just the hollow core. You can save the seeds and ribs to add back to the cream cheese if you’d like a spicier filling.
- Place the sliced jalapeno halves skin side down in the air fryer basket.
- Cook the jalapeno halves at 375ºF for 2-3 minutes to par-bake them. This will help them to be fully cooked when stuffed with cheese without losing all of your cheese filling.
- Remove the jalapeno halves from the air fryer and set them aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
- To a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, and bacon pieces (reserve some for topping if you want).
- Mix until fully softened and combined. Using an electric hand mixer works great for this.
- Once the ingredients are mixed and combined, fill each of the jalapeno halves with the cheese filling.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter. You want to mix these together until the breadcrumbs are all coated in butter.
- Top the poppers with the breadcrumbs and reserved bacon pieces.
- Place the stuffed jalapenos back in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook them at 375ºF for 8 minutes. They’ll be nice and golden brown on top.
- Remove them from the air fryer and allow them to cool slightly before eating. The cheese will be hot!
How Long To Cook Jalapeno Poppers In The Air Fryer
Jalapeno and bacon poppers are cooked in the air fryer for a total of 10-12 minutes. 2-3 minutes to par-cook the jalapenos and another 8 minutes or so after they are stuffed and breaded to cook them until crispy.
kitchen tools to make air fryer jalapeno poppers
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mixing bowls – stainless steel
Buy Now →Tips & Tricks for air fryer jalapeño poppers
- You can really control the spice level in this. By removing the seeds and ribs of the jalapenos, you’re removing the source of most of the heat from the peppers. If you want the cream cheese filling spicier, you can add those back into the cream cheese mixture before filling and topping the jalapeno.
- Be sure that the poppers are in a single layer on the air fryer tray. This will ensure the hot air can circulate around the jalapenos and cook them fully and evenly.
- Make sure the cream cheese is removed from the refrigerator at least an hour before making this recipe to give it time to soften properly.
- If you want to avoid having residual oil from the jalapenos on your hands, you can wear gloves when cutting them into jalapeño halves and scooping out the centers.
What To Dip Jalapeno Poppers In
You can use any of these amazing dipping sauces to temper or increase the spiciness of these poppers. One thing they all have in common, they are amazing when paired with these airfried jalapeno poppers.
- Sweet Potato Fry Sauce – Not JUST for sweet potato fries. This combination of spicy and cool ranch flavors goes perfectly with a jalapeno popper.
- Buffalo Ranch Dip – Another cool and spicy combo to bring your bacon and cheese jalapeno popper to a whole other level.
- Greek Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce – The cool features of this dip are the perfect offset to the spiciness of the jalapeno. Omit the dill if you don’t like the way it goes with the bacon.
- Velveeta Rotel Cheese Dip – Add another decadent layer of cheese by dipping your jalapeno poppers in the smooth and spicy cheese dip.
- Smoked Queso – Add a smoky element with this delicious queso dip
- Bacon Ranch Dip – Has anyone ever said “no” to more bacon? I didn’t think so. The cooling feature of ranch with the addition of more bacon and cheese!
- Wingstop Ranch Copycat – For my purists out there who just like a good traditional ranch for their dipping pleasure.
How to Store Leftover Jalapeno Poppers In the Refrigerator
Allow the cooked jalapeno poppers to cool completely and store leftover poppers in a well-sealed, airtight container or ziploc bag. Stored properly, leftover jalapeno poppers will be good for up to 3 days.
Freezing Jalapeno Poppers
Follow these simple instructions to freeze jalapeno poppers for later.
- Allow the jalapeno poppers to cool completely.
- Place the jalapenos in a freezer-safe bag.
- Lay the bag on its side and separate the poppers so they don’t freeze together.
- Store in the freezer flat to reserve space
How to Reheat Jalapeno Poppers
From the refrigerator – Place poppers back in the air fryer and heat at 375°F for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through and crispy again.
From the freezer – I like to allow the poppers to thaw at room temp rather than trying to microwave them. It keeps the cheese filling more intact. You can reheat thawed poppers in the air fryer at 375° for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave frozen poppers for 3-5 minutes or until they are completely warmed through and the cheese is melty. Note: You most likely will not get the crisp back when microwaving.
FAQs
Yes, jalapeno poppers can be frozen for up to 4 months. Make sure they are completely cooled to avoid forming condensation in the bag.
Jalapeno poppers are jalapeno pepper halves stuffed with cheeses and sometimes bacon or ground meat then breaded and fried.
You can make these jalapeno poppers ahead of time. I like to make them just up to the point before adding the bread crumbs so they don’t get too soggy in the fridge. When you’re ready, make the breadcrumb topping and finish per recipe instructions.
What Goes With Jalapeno Poppers
Whether you’re looking for a couple more appetizers or some mains to go with your poppers, I’ve got you covered with some of my favorite go-alongs for these poppers.
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Chicken Wing Charcuterie Board
- Mexican Corn Casserole
- Texas Chili (with beans)
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Crockpot Mexican Shredded Beef
- Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole
Other air fryer recipes you might like
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Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 whole jalapenos
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 8 ounces cooked bacon pieces
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Take each individual jalapeno and slice it longways. Wash, trim and remove all ribs and seeds leaving a hollow core. You can save the seeds and ribs to add back to the cream cheese if you’d like it spicier.
- Place the sliced jalapeno halves in the air fryer, skin side down in a single layer.
- Cook them at 375ºF for 2-3 minutes to par-bake them. This will help them to be fully cooked when stuffed with cheese without losing all of your cheese filling.
- Remove the jalapeno halves from the air fryer and set them aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, and bacon (reserve some for topping if you want) to a mixing bowl.
- Mix until it’s fully softened and combined. Using an electric hand mixer works great for this.
- Once it’s mixed and combined fill each of the jalapeno halves with the cheese filling.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter. You want to mix until the breadcrumbs are all coated in butter.
- Top the poppers with the breadcrumbs and reserved bacon pieces.
- Place the jalapeno halves in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook them 375ºF for 8 minutes.
- Remove them from the air fryer and allow them to cool slightly before eating. The cheese will be hot!
Video
Notes
- You can really control the spice level in this. By removing the seeds and ribs, you’re removing the source of heat from the jalapenos. If you want it spicier, you can add those back into the cream cheese mixture.
- Be sure that the poppers are in a single layer. This will make sure the hot air can circulate around the jalapenos.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
