Bacon Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

These easy jalapeno poppers are stuffed with garlic herb cream cheese and crispy bacon for a simple, flavor-packed game day appetizer.

Who doesn’t love jalapeno poppers? They’re such a fun finger food, and they pair perfectly with a cold beer and a football game. Since we already can’t wait until football starts, we’re gearing up for the season with this new recipe.

We used to make jalapeno poppers cut in half like many other recipes, but then we found a much better way to make them. And it leaves the jalapenos full! That means we get the best spicy, cheesy bite in a perfect handheld appetizer. 

Instead of cutting the jalapeno in half, we cut a slit in the side to stuff it with bacon, garlic, and herb cream cheese that’s packed with flavor. And the cream cheese helps keep the jalapeno glued together for easy baking. 

This method took our recipe from a tasty snack that we made every one in a while, to a must-have appetizer for all our game days and cookouts. 

What This Recipe Entails

It takes some time to prep the jalapenos, de-seed them, and stuff them, but it’s well worth it. There’s nothing like a homemade cream cheese and bacon stuffed jalapeno popper.

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• Jalapenos – We find short, fat jalapenos to be the easiest to stuff and make for the best bite. 
• Bacon – Chop up the bacon before frying for an easy and quick fry. Or use leftover bacon (a concept we know nothing about!).
• Garlic and herb cream cheese – You can either use our recipe for garlic and herb cream cheese (we promise it’s really easy to make) or buy some premade. 

How To Make Jalapeno Poppers

1. Make the filling – Fry up the bacon, make some garlic and herb cream cheese, and add the bacon to the cream cheese!
2. Prep the jalapenos – Lay the jalapenos flat on a cutting board and cut a slit in the top face, lengthwise. Cut the slit halfway into the pepper, and go all the way from the stem to the tip of the jalapeno. Once the slit is cut you should be able to gently open the pepper up and use a finger to de-seed it. I find using the top of my thumbnail to work best. Gloves are your friend here.
3. Stuff the jalapenos – Open the jalapenos up by gently squeezing at both the stem and tip. Use a table knife to spread the cream cheese filling in a little at a time, pressing it into all the crevices to get it nicely packed in each jalapeno. Then gently press the pepper closed and clean up any extra filling that oozes out. 
4. Bake – Place the jalapeno poppers slit side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, then let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with other appetizers for a game day party or cookout – Jalapeno poppers are a classic game day snack. We like serving them with other finger foods for easy snacking during football games. Make it a spread with southwest egg rolls, 4 layer Mexican dip, and vegetarian southwest sliders! 
• Enjoy as a side with burgers – Pair these with our triple pepper spicy burger that’s topped with a jalapeno popper for the perfect heat-lover’s combo. Or just enjoy them as a side with your favorite burger instead of fries.

These bacon stuffed jalapeno poppers are the ultimate spicy, cheesy snack for game days, cookouts, or anytime you’re craving something bold and flavorful. They’re easy to prep ahead, bake in just 15 minutes, and disappear fast. Try them out and let us know what you think by rating and leaving a comment below!

FAQs

Love this recipe? You may enjoy these other game day finger foods, too:

• Coconut Shrimp With Sweet And Spicy Dipping Sauce
• Southwest Egg Rolls
• Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites
• Buffalo Chicken Rangoons
• Chili Lime Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls