We make these jalapeño poppers when they’re in season just as a side, and we make them as an appetizer for parties too. They are bite sized, easy-peasy crowd pleasers.

So easy to make…
All you need to make these is jalapeño peppers, cream cheese, ranch powder, bacon, and shredded cheese like Colby or mild cheddar.

Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature, so you can easily mix the filling together. For about 8 peppers, you need 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Mix that together with a tablespoon of ranch powder.

Slice your peppers in half and take out the seeds. If you love some extra heat, leave some seeds in. Lay them out on a sheet of parchment paper and fill each one with the mixture. Some people chop and cook their bacon beforehand and mix it into the filling, but we prefer it on top where it can get nice and crispy. It also eliminates a step this way 🙂
You then take a piece of bacon and wrap it around the pepper, or cut it into chunks and lay them on top of the filling. I used a thicker cut of bacon for this batch but I recommend a thin cut, for more crispy results.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and bake them for 20-25 minutes.
Serve warm!
To step it up a notch:
If you want to make these jalapeño poppers a little fancier, crush some ritz crackers and sprinkle them on the filling before baking. When they’re finished baking, garnish them with green onions or parsley.

Can I prepare these ahead of time?
Yes, I’ve made these for a party and wanted them ready to throw into the oven, so I made them the day before. Just prepare as instructed and cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge.
Wear Gloves~
I suggest that you wear gloves when handling and preparing your fresh jalapeño peppers since they can irritate the skin. Avoid touching your face.


Baked Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese room temp
- 8 jalapeño peppers
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese Colby or cheddar
- 1 tbls ranch powder
- 8 slices bacon cut in chunks
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400*F. Prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Halve the jalapeño peppers lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds (leave some in for heat).
- Mash the softened creamcheese together with the shredded cheese and ranch powder until combined.
- Divide the filling between the halved jalepenos, about 1 tbls per half. Use a butter knife to smooth the filling so it's flush with the top of the pepper.
- Top the filling with bacon pieces.
- Top with crushed ritz if desired.
- Bake the peppers for 25 minutes.
- Serve while warm.
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