Name: Dutch Oven Jalapeño Poppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 10 jalapeños (sliced in half length wise and seeds removed); 8 oz cream cheese (softened); 1 tsp granulated garlic; 1 lb bacon (regular thickness)

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Dutch Oven Jalapeño Poppers kick up backyard barbecues or game days with their spicy hotness, cooling creamy center, and wrapped in bacon.

This post has been updated from its original December 31, 2017 publishing with new content, photographs, and updated recipe card.

If you loved our Cast Iron Bacon Wrapped Pickles, then you’re going to love these bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers.

Any restaurant, bar, game day gathering, or pot luck party you’ve gone to, you’ve probably seen these tasty appetizers on the menu or platter.

What is a jalapeño popper?

A white plate of 3 bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers with a lime wedge.

What it is, is delicious.

But in all seriousness, a jalapeño popper is a jalapeño pepper that’s been sliced in half, seeds and veins removed, stuffed with seasoned cream cheese and baked.

In this particular recipe, we wrap them in bacon, but that’s just an extra touch we had to have.

Some recipes bread and deep fry them. And we can’t say we blame them. They’re delicious too.

How to make jalapeño poppers?

Ingredients to make the recipe: fresh whole jalapeños, cream cheese, bacon, and granulated garlic in a cast iron skillet.

When shopping for the peppers, look for those with long stems. They really add a fun flourish when plated.

Since we’re wrapping these in bacon, using peppers with a minor ding or dent is just fine.

Jalapeños that have been sliced in half and had the seeds and veins removed.

Clean and pat dry the jalapeños.

Slice them in half lengthwise. If you’ve got the knife skills, try to slice the stem in half as well. They look just wee bit sexier when the stem is still attached.

Scoop out the seeds and veins.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Softened cream cheese seasoned with granulated garlic.

I recommend setting the cream cheese out a few hours before you want to make the recipe. The softer the cream cheese is, the easier it is to work with, especially getting it into the pepper boat.

Toss the block of cream cheese into a boil and using a fork, stir in the granulated garlic.

Jalapeño popper filling ideas

While we’re using a very basic filing, the possibilities are endless on how you can jazz up the creamy filling.

Here’s a few mix-in ideas, use one, use all.

Mix in 1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro.
Mix in 2 teaspoons finely minced chive
Stir in 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
Mix in 1 1/4 cups of grated cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and/or mozzarella cheese(s)
Stir in 1/8 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Stir in a hearty dash of salt and/or black pepper

Bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers

Ah, now to the bacon!

Depending on how long the peppers are, you may want to cut the bacon in thirds like pictured above or just in half.

Grab a spoon and scoop some of the cream cheese filling and stuff each pepper.

Cream cheese filling and bacon secured by toothpicks have transformed these simple jalapeños.

Once they’re all stuffed, wrap the bacon around the pepper and secure with toothpicks.

I like to have the seam of the bacon on top, but there’s no wrong way to wrap a pepper.

Place them in the Dutch oven or skillet and toss them in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes

if you want the bacon to crisp up, toss in under the broiler for a minute or two.

Branded image of Dutch Oven Jalapeño Poppers ready to be backed.

Let them cool for just a minute because no likes molten cheese and scorching bacon in their mouth.

We served these Dutch Oven Jalapeño Poppers with a homemade ranch dip from The Complete Savorist.

Bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers in a white bowl with ranch dressing.

A single bacon wrapped jalapeño popper being held aloft.

Three jalapeño poppers on a white plate with a lime wedge.

Print Recipe