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Spicy fried jalapeno poppers are a classic appetizer that everyone wants! Bite into these cheesy poppers for a flavor explosion!
Served on their own, or dipped in Ranch Dressing, they are just as tasty as our Jalapeño Popper Dip!
We Love This Spicy Dessert!
Jalapeno poppers are one of my favorite go-to appetizer recipes. These little bites of heaven are fried until they are golden brown, and all that cream cheese goodness is melted inside.
They’re perfect for people who love a good amount of spice, crunch, and cheesiness (they’re similar to our Sausage Stuffed Jalapeños).
Why we love them:
- Quick. They’re ready in only 15 minutes!
- Easy. Don’t be intimidated by the deep-frying portion of this recipe. It’s super easy – I promise!
- Tasty. A classic appetizer, jalapeño poppers are warm, cheesy, and delicious.
If you love jalapeño poppers as much as we do, then you should try our Jalapeño Popper Dip!
Ingredients
- cream cheese
- cheddar cheese
- jalapeno peppers – We chose common green or TAM chili peppers, which are fairly mild. You can use a hotter pepper like red or Huachinango chile peppers.
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- bread crumbs – make the poppers a little more crunchy by mixing panko bread crumbs into the regular bread crumbs.
- vegetable oil – or another oil with a high smoking point like canola oil or peanut oil.
Jalapeno Tips
- Heat levels. Several varieties of jalapenos vary in heat levels, and each one can work in this recipe. Lower the level of heat by removing the white membrane and seeds from the center.
- Picking peppers. Look at their skin. Younger peppers that have clear, smooth, shiny skin are less spicy than older peppers whose drier skin has stress marks, flecks, or white lines on it.
- Choose larger jalapenos, so they can hold a good amount of the cream cheese filling.
How to Make Jalapeno Poppers
- FILLING. Mix cream cheese and shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a few tablespoons of this mixture into the pepper halves.
- BREADING. Place milk, flour, and bread crumbs in separate bowls. Dip jalapenos in milk, then flour, then back in milk. Dip peppers in bowl with bread crumbs making sure it is all coated. (To make sure they are coated, re-dip in milk and back in breadcrumbs)
- FRY. Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Fry jalapeno peppers for a few minutes or until golden brown.
- SERVE. Let drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm with Homemade Ranch Dip, Avocado Lime Ranch Dip, Café Rio Cilantro Lime Dressing, or Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Oven-baked poppers. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the poppers on the pan, and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is melted inside.
Air fryer jalapeno poppers. Turn the air fryer to 375°F. Cook them for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Turn them halfway through, so they cook evenly.
How to prepare jalapenos
Wear gloves. If you are not used to working with jalapenos or are using a spicy variety, I recommend wearing gloves. The oils can cause mild skin irritation, to uncomfortable burning. Above all, DO NOT touch your face or eyes.
- Slice the jalapeno lengthwise.
- When opened you will notice a membrane with seeds. This is where most of the heat comes from.
- For the mildest popper, use a spoon to scrape out all of the membranes and seeds. To increase the heat, leave some of them in.
Blanch the peppers. For a softer jalapeno popper, you can blanch them, but it is not necessary.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Place the cut and prepared jalapenos in the water for about 90 seconds.
- Remove and add them directly into a bowl of ice water.
- Pat dry before stuffing, coating, and frying.
VARIATIONS
Bread crumbs. Add extra flavor by seasoning the bread crumbs with salt, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, or onion powder.
Change the filling. Create different flavors:
- bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers
- mushrooms with goat cheese
- sharp cheddar cheese and ground beef
- chorizo
- crabmeat, green chiles, and mayo
- refried beans and salsa
Storing info
- STORE. Jalapeño poppers are best fresh! But if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Heat them in the oven at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes.
- FREEZE. Place coated jalapenos on a platter, and then in the freezer. Once they are solid, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc.
- To fry, allow them to sit at room temperature while the oil is heating up. Fry until warm and golden.
For More Tasty Appetizers:
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 10-12 jalapeno peppers halved and seeded
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese and shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a few tablespoons of this mixture into the pepper halves.
- Place milk, flour, and bread crumbs in separate bowls. Dip jalapenos in milk, then flour, then back in milk. Dip peppers in bowl with bread crumbs making sure it is all coated. (To make sure they are coated, re-dip in milk and back in breadcrumbs)
- Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Fry jalapeno peppers for a few minutes or until golden brown.
- Let drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm with ranch or other dipping sauces.
Video
Notes
- STORE. Jalapeño poppers are best fresh! But if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Heat them in the oven at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes.
- FREEZE. Place coated jalapenos on a platter, and then in the freezer. Once they are solid, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc.
- To fry, allow them to sit at room temperature while the oil is heating up. Fry until warm and golden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Added an egg to a cup of milk and three kinds of cheese to the cream cheese.
Did both, some baked at 400 for 20 minutes, and some fried for 3-4 minutes.
Garden fresh peppers, green ones were sweet and the red ones were really hot!
Could not stop eating till they were ALL Gone!
Thanks for this, no more store-bought or fast-food poppers for me!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing what you did. I’m so glad you loved this popper recipe!
Woaaaaawwwwwwww i just made the oven version and they are amazing!!! Thanks so much for the share
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you for the recipe I love jalapeno poppers with cream cheese but I can’t find them jetey with cream cheese they only have the ones with cheddar cheese and I don’t want them I prefer the cream cheese
You’re welcome! I love the cream cheese too. So so yummy! Glad you found the recipe. 🙂
I made this tonight. Very nice. What do you think about blanching the pepper, removing the skin to help the dipping cycle being more productive. I am hoping to hear back from you!
Dklindt1@gmail.com
I haven’t tried that method before but it sounds intriguing. Let me know how it goes if you try it out. I’d love to hear!
These turned out amazing! I think the only thing I would suggest is adding a little salt to the flour or on top after frying them.
Glad you liked them! Thank you for letting me know what you thought!
What kind of bre crum did you use?
I usually use plain or Italian 🙂
Can’t Wait to try these
Sure, hope you like them 🙂
I have a bunch of jalapeños. Can I make these and freeze them? These look amazing 😋
We typically recommend to eat them fresh, but you could certainly try freezing them! Reheat them in the oven at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
I tryed maki thrs for my fa but they wrr still Hard to hard to eat what sh i do to cook with buRning them
I am glad you tried them. What made them hard to eat? Were they burned? Your oil could have been too hot or they were just in the oil too long. There are a couple more options, if you don’t want to fry them…OVEN: You can bake these poppers instead of frying them if you’d prefer. Just preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is melted inside.
AIR FRYER: You can also air fry them. Turn the air fryer to 375 degrees. Cook them for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown. Turn them halfway through so they cook evenly throughout. Hope that helps!
My fiance and I just made these and they were delicious! Great recipe! Thank you!
You are so welcome!! Glad you like them 🙂 Thank you!
If i use jumbo jalapenos will the coo tender or will they come out had still ?
They are the best. So easy to make and no left overs.thank you for the recipe
You are so welcome!! Thanks for saying that!! We love them, too!