Cheesy. Cheddar. Corn. Stuffed. Jalapeño. Poppers…and wrapped in bacon too! The combination of cheesy corn, spicy jalapeños, and crispy smoky bacon is just too good to pass up. Especially when summer corn is in season, I mean, right? Yess! If you dislike bacon, I’m so sorry, but for those of you who enjoy bacon, these are truly delicious. PS. I do have to add that if you really do hate bacon, these are still great without. I don’t want anyone to not be able to make these cheesy poppers. So my mom has been encouraging me to make jalapeño poppers since last fall. She loves them. Peppers plus cheese, and more times than not, wrapped in bacon. A simple and perfect flavor combination. I don’t have a recipe for a classic popper here on HBH, but a couple of weeks ago, these cute little peppers came out of my kitchen. I’ve now decided that these corn stuffed peppers are actually better than the classic. Apparently corn is the KEY to an incredible popper. That may be a little bold to say, but take a second to think about these flavors all put together. Yep, so delicious.
The story behind the poppers.
Sometimes recipes come to be in fun ways and involve someone from the family telling me to make a certain dish. Or sometimes it’s something very random, like a color I’m drawn to, or some tomatoes on the counter. And sometimes it’s just a matter of me just racking my brain for new and exciting ideas to share. But other times? Recipe titles just flow into my headspace and I immediately become excited about the sound of the flavors together. I realize this makes no sense, but it’s a crazy thing my brain does. Which is where these poppers come in. I was jotting down ideas for summer corn recipes when I suddenly had the thought to stuff jalapeño peppers with corn and wrap them in bacon. Cheesy cheddar corn stuffed jalapeño poppers, as my mind silently, but excitedly, said to me. It’s not the most creative concept, but it sure is delicious. Think melty sharp cheddar cheese with sweet corn, spicy peppers, and crispy smoky bacon. Yummm.
Here are the details…
These are very quick and simple to make. You need a sheet pan, a ton of jalapeños, and just a few other ingredients. Start by halving those spicy peppers and getting rid of the seeds. Mix together lots of sharp cheddar cheese, summer corn, and fresh chives. Stuff the cheesy corn into the jalapeño. Wrap each jalapeño in a thin slice of salty, smokey bacon. And then bake…and that’s pretty much it.
Make that cilantro ranch.
Not all poppers are served with a dip, but personally I think everything can be made better with a little sauce/dip action. The flavors here just needed something creamy and cooling. So I decided on a little ranch…but not your average ranch. I used fresh cilantro, chives, and plenty of lime in place of the usual herb mix. This is the perfect sauce to balance the heat of these cheesy peppers.
I’m very much looking forward to serving these from now through the fall months. They make a great summer appetizer that easily transitions into fall entertaining and Sunday game days at home. Or just simply make them, and enjoy!
Looking for other summer appetizer recipes? Here are a few ideas: Garlic Parmesan Herb Butter Polenta Fries with Lemon Aioli Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey Peach Thyme Tarts Lastly, if you make these Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Corn Jalapeño Poppers be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
