BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERS

bacon-wrapped-jalapeno-poppers-2 THESE BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERS ARE CREAMY, SPICY AND LOADED WITH CHEESE. THE PERFECT PARTY APPETIZER!

We have to admit, we have a weakness for jalapeno poppers! These bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers are baked instead of fried, and let me say, they’re even better than the original! Who can resist fresh jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked to crispy perfection? Not me, that’s for sure. This is the ultimate party or game day snack!

It probaby won’t surprise you that the first ingredient in this recipe is jalapenos. Buy jalapenos that are about 3-4 inches long, you don’t want them to be too small or they’ll be hard to stuff. The jalapenos are sliced in half and the seeds and ribs get removed. Removing the seeds and ribs removes most of the heat from the peppers; if you like it spicier, leave some of the seeds and ribs in. The peppers are stuffed with a combination of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and spices.

The final step in the process is the bacon. You definitely want to avoid thick cut bacon here as it’ll take a lot longer to crisp up in the oven. The jalapenos get wrapped in half a slice of bacon and then secured with a toothpick.

I like to serve my bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers with a side of ranch for dipping, but honestly they’re awesome as-is too. This is one of those party snacks where everyone will be asking you for the recipe! You can even fill and wrap the jalapenos up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them, simply store them in the fridge until you’re ready to go. You might even want to consider making a double batch, these little guys disappear quickly!

Ingredients

12 jalapeno peppers approximately 3-4 inches long
1 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 slices bacon do not use thick cut
cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat it with cooking spray.
Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and ribs.
In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture.
Cut the slices of bacon in half crosswise and wrap each pepper half in a slice of bacon, using a toothpick to secure the bacon.
Arrange the peppers on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until bacon is crispy and browned. Serve immediately.