How to make easy bacon-wrapped, cheesy jalapeño poppers in the oven or on the grill. Jump to the Easy Jalapeño Poppers Recipe
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Whether you make these in the oven or on the grill, the preparation is the same. Bonus, it’s really easy! See the steps below.
To make the best jalapeño poppers, follow these easy steps:
Step one: Halve each jalapeño from stem to end. Then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and white membrane. It’s the seeds and white membrane that makes peppers hot. For the mildest poppers, remove all the seeds and membrane. If you like things hot and spicy, leave the membrane inside the pepper, but remove the seeds.
Step two: Fill the pepper halves with cream cheese. You can leave the cream cheese plain or add some flavor. We love fresh chives or chopped green onion. You could also add some chili powder, other herbs, or a combination of cheeses. Feta cheese, goat cheese, or shredded cheddar cheese are great options.
Step three: Cut thin slices of bacon into smaller strips. They should be just large enough to wrap around a pepper half. Wrap the bacon around each stuffed pepper half and secure it with a toothpick.
Tip: Soak toothpicks in water about 1 hour before making to prevent them from burning on the grill.
As I mentioned above, we keep the filling really simple, but there are lots of extra ingredients you can add to make them extra special. Here are a few more ideas for what to stuff inside jalapeño peppers:
- Add some sweetness with cooked onion or shallot
- Add more cheese with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack. Or swap half of the cream cheese with goat cheese.
- Cook up extra bacon, sausage or chicken and stir into the cream cheese.
- Make them extra spicy with a few dashes of hot sauce or diced peppers. A buffalo chicken version would be excellent.
How to cook jalapeño poppers
Now it is time to cook, you have two options: the oven or the grill.
How to bake them in the oven: bake them until the peppers are tender and the bacon is crisp — about 20 minutes.
How to grill them on an outdoor grill: Use a grill basket or aluminum foil. This prevents the peppers from falling through the grates. Grill over medium-high heat until tender and the bacon is crisp — about 15 minutes.
More easy recipes
- Try our favorite recipe for Guacamole.
- We love this Roasted Green Salsa made with tomatillos, onions and peppers.
- We love how easy this Red Salsa is to make!
Recipe updated, originally posted June 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have added a recipe video and tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Ridiculously Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
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- COOK
- TOTAL
These easy, cheesy jalapeño poppers are simple to make. You can make them in advance — see our tips below. If you choose to grill the peppers, use a grill basket so they do not fall between the grates.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
6 jalapeno peppers
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion
4 slices thin-cut bacon
12 wooden toothpicks, soaked (see notes)
Directions
- Prepare Peppers
1Slice each pepper in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and white membrane. (Seeds and the white membrane are where most of the heat comes from).
2Stir the cream cheese and chives (or green onion) together. Fill pepper halves with the cream cheese mixture.
3Slice bacon into twelve 1 1/2-inch pieces. Wrap one piece of bacon around each filled pepper-half. Secure the bacon with a toothpick.
- Baked Poppers
1Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Arrange the peppers, filling side facing up, onto the baking sheet. Bake until the bacon is crispy and the peppers are tender; 20 to 25 minutes.
- Grilled Poppers
1Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place a grill basket or aluminum foil on the grill. This prevents the poppers from falling through the grates. Arrange the peppers, filling side facing up, in the basket or on foil. Grill until the bacon is crispy and the peppers are tender; 15 to 20 minutes.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Soak toothpicks in warm water for about 1 hour before baking or grilling. (This will prevent them from burning in the oven or on the grill).
- Make Ahead: Stuff and wrap jalapeño poppers up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate, well-covered, until ready to bake.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Love those jalapeno recipes!
Great stuff! Like it!
Great stuff! Like it!
I put the cream cheese in a sandwitch bag to fill the popper’s/ cut corner off bag’ just squeeze into popper’s.
Only change I made was adding equal parts shredded cheddar cheese to the chives and slightly increasing the recipe for 10 jalapenos. Went to a potluck party with them. Heard “Who made these jalapeno poppers” several times follow by “They are amazing”. Did not go home with any.
fab recipe! really easy and quick.
I love how simple this recipe is made with only chopped chives and bacon. I made 3 dozen for a get together ahead of time and kept refrigerated until just before serving. Everyone loved them and they disappeared quickly! A big 5 stars!!!
I added smoked shredded chicken breast and chives, w garlic, and onion powder and black pepper into my cream cheese. I also only laid the turkey bacon across bc I was some what lazy lol but they look and taste amazing!!
I used the mixture that I make for Stuffed mushrooms. i took cream cheese, bacon bits (instead of putting a slice of bacon on top), and minced fresh garlic. I did blanch them to make it cook quicker. I also sprinkled a little bread crumbs on top to give the breaded taste.