Quick Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Oven Recipe

Name: Quick Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Oven Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 8 Jalapenos; 8 oz cream cheese; 2-3 oz shredded pepper jack cheese; 8 slices bacon

Total Servings: 4

Total Cost for All Ingredients: $15.30

Cost Per Serving: $3.83

Ingredients & Costs*

8 jalapenos ($2.36)
8 oz cream cheese ($5.84)
2-3 oz shredded pepper jack cheese ($2.12)
8 slices bacon ($4.98)

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*Food costs may vary and can change over time. The prices listed were the current prices of these ingredients when this recipe was made for this post. Almost all our ingredients are purchased from Walmart as we live in a small town without any other options. If you notice a significant price difference, please let us know at hello@freshgains.com we can update this post.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Oven Recipe

What is the best dip for jalapeno poppers?

Lately, I’ve been on a Melinda’s sriracha ranch binge and I love it with jalapeno poppers. A few of my other favorite dips for this recipe are jalapeno ranch, fry sauce from Freddy’s, and Flavortown poppin jalapeno sauce.

Does it matter what kind of bacon I use?

Any flavor of bacon will work for this recipe. Just make sure that it is a thin to medium cut bacon. Anything thicker than a medium cut is more likely to unravel while cooking and might even be too thick to wrap around the jalapeno.

Should I season these jalapeno poppers?

I don’t think its necessary to use seasoning in jalapeno poppers. However, if you want to add a little something, I would sprinkle a bit of pepper on the filling before you wrap it in bacon. Another good way to add a bit more flavor is to lightly coat the jalapeno poppers in honey after they are wrapped in bacon.

Can I cook these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer?

Yes! You can cook these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer instead of the oven. If you use an air fryer, you’ll want to spray the basket with cooking spray and preheat the air fryer to 375ºF. Then cook the jalapeno poppers for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your air fryer. I recommend checking jalapeno poppers around the 10 minute mark until they reach your desired level of doneness.

How do I make sure the jalapenos don’t unwrap while cooking?

I find an easy way to keep the jalapeno poppers closed while cooking is to wrap the bacon so that the beginning is overlapped and the end of the bacon strip is tucked underneath the jalapeno. This should pin the bacon strip on both ends and prevent it from opening while cooking. If you still have trouble keeping the jalapeno wrapped, you can use a tooth pick to ensure it stays closed.

Tips to Make the Best Jalapeno Poppers

Choose medium-sized jalapenos: You may be tempted to buy the biggest jalapenos you can find, but I’ve found that jalapenos that are about 3 inches long are the perfect size for making jalapeno poppers. When the jalapenos are about this size, the bacon wraps around it perfectly to enclose the entire jalapeno, which helps prevent the filling from coming out while cooking. And you definitely don’t want empty jalapeno poppers!

Mix the cream cheese and shredded cheese: I recommend mixing the cream cheese and shredded cheese in a small bowl prior, then filling the jalapenos with the mixture. This will help the shredded cheese mix in instead of just being layered on top of the cream cheese. It will also help the shredded cheese stay in the jalapeno when you’re wrapping it with bacon.

Wear gloves when handling peppers: Jalapeno peppers have a subtle, almost unnoticeable heat when they’re being handled. At least in my opinion, but maybe I’m desensitized because I like everything hot. However, you will notice the heat lingering on your fingers for a long time – so we recommend wearing gloves just be safe.

Go light on the crème cheese: I think most people would naturally assume you should fill the jalapenos with cream cheese as much as possible. This is what I thought the first time I made this recipe and I filled the popper to the brim. I’ve found doing this makes the cream cheese really take over the flavor and texture of these jalapeno poppers. We’d recommend going lighter on the cream cheese, filling the jalapenos about halfway up, before topping them with cheese… Unless you really, really enjoy cream cheese.