Why This Recipe Is Your New Favorite Appetizer
Any good party needs a show-stopping appetizer, and these Crispy Jalapeno Poppers are just the thing. I love a good, crispy appetizer, but can’t stand dealing with the oil and lingering smell of grease that it usually calls for. After lots of failed attempts, we modified the classic jalapeno popper so it’s easier to make AND tastes just as crispy.
Ready in just thirty minutes, you can put away that deep fryer and make this lightened up, party-ready snack that’s perfect for your next game day or summertime BBQ. Trust us, these will disappear almost as quickly as you can make them.
How to Prepare Jalapeños for Poppers (and Control Spice)
Before you dive into making the recipe, first, you need to pick out the right jalapenos. When it comes to spice, there is a way you can gauge the level by looking at the skin. A well-regarded tip from Chef Amanda Frietag shares that smooth, less-flawed skin on a jalapeno generally means it is less spicy, while scratches and “stretch-marks” are signs of a spicier jalapeno.
Depending on how hot or how mild you want your poppers to be (consider who your audience is!), you can choose your veggies accordingly. Size wise, larger-sized peppers are going to be easier to remove the seeds and membranes.
Although it isn’t an absolute necessity, we would recommend wearing gloves while cutting and deseeding the peppers. The peppers can sometimes cause a burning sensation when they come into contact with your skin (especially on your face or in your eyes!), so wearing gloves will help reduce the spread.
To cut the peppers for this recipe, slice them in half lengthwise. You can use a small spoon or a paring knife to remove the white membrane and seeds inside. Doing so will decrease the heat, and when paired with the decrease in heat from baking the peppers and the creamy, cheesy center, it will result in just the right amount of hot-but-sweet for this recipe.
Jalapeño Popper Fillings
This recipe uses a classic cream cheese and cheddar filling. For the smoothest, creamiest filling, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you add it to the bowl. While you can use a low-fat cream cheese for a lightened up version, we would recommend a full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest filling texture.
If you want a more customizable jalapeno popper filling, you can swap out the spices, the cheese, or add some extras. We use cheddar cheese with garlic powder and smoked paprika, but you can also use pepper jack or monterey jack cheese, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, chipotle, chives, cayenne, bacon bits, or even a little bit of brown sugar for added sweetness.
Baking vs. Frying vs. Air Frying: Choosing Your Method
- Baking: This is our preferred method for a tender, lightened up jalapeno popper that doesn’t require an additional kitchen appliance. If you have an oven, you’re good to go! You can cook them all in one batch on a baking sheet in around 20 minutes, and you can still get a crispy texture without deep frying due to the panko mixture that goes on top.
- Air Fryer: A great option if you have one! This one can cook the jalapenos a little quicker, with jalapenos generally cooking at around 375°F in 8-10 minutes, but you may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Deep Frying: This is the fastest way to cook jalapeno poppers, however, you will need to adjust the recipe to accommodate filling a full jalapeno (no cutting them in half) and dredging the entire jalapeno in flour + coating. Though the crispiest option, they are definitely more work and have a higher fat content than the other two options. This classic jalapeno popper recipe has great notes if you’re interested in this method.
Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 jalapenos
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 3 Tablespoons sharp cheddar, grated
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch smoked paprika powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 Tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Wash the jalapenos, then slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane. Set the jalapenos aside.
- Combine cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, paprika powder, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Fill a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the corner cut off) with the cream cheese mixture. Fill the jalapenos by squeezing an even amount of cream cheese mixture into each one and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Top the jalapenos with panko breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake the jalapeno poppers for 20 minutes or until they are tender and the topping is golden brown.
- Cool briefly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
