Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

I have to admit, I have a weakness for jalapeno poppers. As much as I love them, I’ve never made them at home, because I’m not a fan of deep frying in my own kitchen. These bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers are baked instead of fried, and let me say, they’re even better than the original! Who can resist fresh jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked to crispy perfection? Not me, that’s for sure. This is the ultimate party or game day snack along with other offerings such as antipasto skewers and slow cooker chicken wings!

How to make jalapeno poppers

It probably won’t surprise you that the first ingredient in this recipe is jalapenos. I like to buy jalapenos that are about 3-4 inches long, you don’t want them to be too small or they’ll be hard to stuff. The jalapenos are sliced in half and the seeds and ribs get removed. Removing the seeds and ribs removes most of the heat from the peppers; if you like it spicier, leave some of the seeds and ribs in. The peppers are stuffed with a combination of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and spices.

The final step in the process is the bacon. You definitely want to avoid thick cut bacon here as it’ll take a lot longer to crisp up in the oven. The jalapenos get wrapped in half a slice of bacon and then secured with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpicks before serving like I did here, or leave them in for people to grab off the party platter. Whatever you prefer!

I like to serve my bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers with a side of ranch for dipping, but honestly they’re awesome as-is too. This is one of those party snacks where everyone will be asking you for the recipe! You can even fill and wrap the jalapenos up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them, simply store them in the fridge until you’re ready to go. You might even want to consider making a double batch, these little guys disappear quickly!