Easy Baked Jalapeño Poppers

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A year ago I made these easy baked jalapeño poppers, and they were a hit at our small group Bible study. 

These little stuffed peppers are really a perfect appetizer or snack for any celebration!  They aren't just for the guys, either.  My great-aunt is often requested to make them for ladies only neighborhood parties!

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Questions

Where did jalapeño poppers originate?

The exact origins of this appetizer are unclear, but it's likely that they came from Texas.  The term "jalapeño poppers" was in use as far back as 1972, so this dish has been around for a while!

Can you freeze jalapeño poppers?

Yes, you can freeze unbaked jalapeño poppers.  Here's how to do it!

• Flash freeze the poppers on a cookie sheet for 2-3 hours.
• Transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to a few months.
• Place the frozen poppers on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling.

Can these be made ahead?

Yes, you can make them ahead of time.  Assemble them the day before, and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to bake them.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients: 12 jalapeño peppers, cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, freshly minced garlic, and sriracha sauce.

Rinse and halve the jalapeños, then scrape out the white membranes and seeds with a grapefruit spoon.

Beat the cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.

Beat in the cheddar, garlic, and sriracha sauce until smooth.

Spread the filling in the peppers, making sure not to overstuff.

Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, until the filling is lightly browned and gently bubbling.

Make a simple dipping sauce with just two ingredients: mayo and sriracha sauce.

Mix together until smooth.

Serve with the hot jalapeño poppers with the sriracha mayo and enjoy.

Pro Tips

• Use smooth-skinned jalapeños.  Wrinkly-skinned jalapeños will be more spicy.
• If you have sensitive skin, make sure to wear food-safe gloves when your slicing and seeding the jalapeños, as they can irritate your skin.
• Keep the stems on the peppers to make them easier to eat.
• Slice the jalapeños in such a way that both halves lay flat, or the filling will slide off as they bake.
• Be careful not to overfill the poppers.  The filling puffs and bubbles as it cooks, and extra filling will fall out of the popper and stick to the tray.

Recommended Tools

• Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer: this electric mixer is a cheap alternative to a stand mixer.
• Cuisinart Cheese Grater: this handy box grater makes grating your own cheese super easy.
• Wilton 11x17 Cookie Sheets: these sturdy cookie sheets will last you for years.
• Aluminum Foil: keep your cookie sheets clean with this aluminum foil.

Other Game Day Appetizers

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Loaded Potato Skins
• Cheesy Sausage Balls
• Cowboy Caviar
• Caramelized Onion Dip

The pleasure of a 5 star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

Easy Baked Jalapeño Poppers

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 24 poppers 1x

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Description

Easy baked jalapeño poppers are a low carb, vegetarian finger food that’s a perfect snack on game night.  Cream cheese, cheddar, fresh garlic, and sriracha sauce make these stuffed jalapeños a crowd pleasing appetizer.  Your friends will want you to make these delicious morsels for a Super Bowl party!

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Ingredients

For the Poppers

• 12 large jalapeño peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (226g)
• 1 cup extra-sharp white cheddar, grated (75g)
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, plus extra for drizzling if desired

For the Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

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Instructions

Preparing the Peppers & Garlic (25 minutes)

1. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
2. Rinse the jalapeños and slice each one in half lengthwise without cutting off the stems.  Remove the seeds and membrane from each pepper half with a grapefruit spoon.
3. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in the grated cheese, minced garlic, and sriracha sauce until well blended.

Stuffing & Baking the Poppers (10 minutes + 15 minutes cooking)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Spread the filling inside each jalapeño, being careful not to overfill.  Place in rows on the prepared cookie sheet.  Make sure the peppers are level, or the filling will slide off as they bake.
3. Bake the peppers at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, until the filling is lightly browned and gently bubbling.
4. Let the peppers cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with additional sriracha sauce if desired.  Serve hot with sriracha mayo.

Making the Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce (3 minutes)

1. Mix the mayo and sriracha sauce together until fully blended.  Serve chilled.

Notes

• Smooth-skinned jalapeños are less spicy than wrinkly-skinned ones.
• Have sensitive skin?  Wear food-safe gloves when slicing the jalapeños.
• Leave the stems on the peppers to make them easier to eat.
• Try to make both halves lay flat, or the filling may slide off in the oven.
• Don't overfill the poppers.  The filling puffs and bubbles as it cooks, and extra filling will fall out of the popper and stick to the tray.

• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: baked, cream cheese, roasted

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This post was originally published on January 16, 2018.