Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

5 from 26 votes

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers stuffed with garlic cream cheese and baked in cast iron until crispy and golden. Ready in just 50 minutes with only four main ingredients. The perfect appetizer for game day, cookouts, and parties.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: popper halves

Calories: 136kcal

Author: Ned Adams

Cost: $10

Equipment

12" Camp Oven or
12-inch cast iron skillet or
6 quart Dutch Oven
toothpicks

Ingredients

12 jalapeno peppers medium-sized, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds and veins removed
8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 lb bacon regular cut (not thick cut), cut into thirds

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Set out the cream cheese 1 to 2 hours before you plan to cook. Room temperature cream cheese is much easier to work with.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wash and dry the jalapenos. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise. If you have the knife skills, try to split the stem in half as well for a nicer presentation. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and white veins.
In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and granulated garlic. Stir with a fork until smooth and well mixed.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into each jalapeno half, filling about three-quarters full. Do not mound the filling over the top.
Wrap each stuffed jalapeno half with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place the bacon seam on top so the weight of the popper holds it down during baking.
Arrange the wrapped poppers in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or camp oven.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through and golden brown.
For extra crispy bacon, place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch closely as it can go from perfect to burnt quickly.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. The filling is extremely hot right out of the oven.

Notes

Wear gloves. Jalapeno oils (capsaicin) stick to skin and burn for hours. Disposable nitrile gloves are a kitchen essential for pepper work.
Do not skip the toothpicks. Bacon shrinks as it cooks. Without toothpicks, the wrap unravels and you end up with bacon puddles instead of bacon-wrapped poppers.
Seam side up. Place the bacon seam on top when arranging in the Dutch oven. The weight of the popper holds the seam down during baking.
Broil for the finish. After 30 to 35 minutes at 400°F, hit them with the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes for that final crackly crispness on the bacon. Watch closely because broiler time goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.
Let them rest. Give the poppers 3 to 5 minutes after pulling from the oven. The cream cheese filling is molten lava straight out of the oven.

Nutrition