Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers are so easy to make. What’s not to love about a fresh jalapeño stuffed with a warm, gooey cheese filling that’s topped with a buttery, crunchy bread crumb? Make this recipe for the BEST crowd pleasing, party or Game Day appetizer.

 

Skip the frozen food aisle and make homemade Jalapeno Poppers instead. Holiday parties and Game Day get togethers call for delicious appetizers. Feeding a crowd fried food is not ideal. My recipe for poppers is a baked not fried version. The BEST recipe when you are needing to serve more than a few.
If you are looking for other easy oven baked appetizers consider making TGI Fridays’s Potato Skins or a Jalapeno Popper Dip.

There are many stuffed jalapeno pepper appetizer recipes floating around. Some with cream cheese, some without. Half my family prefers Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers, the others like them stuffed with just cheddar. This recipe is made with cream cheese. The filling combines both cream cheese and cheddar cheese along with garlic and green onions (or chives if you prefer).

To make Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers in the oven you will need to make a crispy breadcrumb with butter to replicate the crunch from the fried version. I highly suggest using the Japanese style Panko Breadcrumbs for added crispiness. Traditional breadcrumbs are a bit heavier, finer and will be sort of soggy.

Cream Cheese Jalapeno Popper Ingredients

While these Homemade Jalapeno Poppers look a bit different than your classic Stuffed Peppers, they’re actually pretty similar. Instead of a ground beef or taco filling, we’re making a cream cheese filling instead- so, fewer ingredients and way more appetizer friendly! In case you need to do a quick grocery run, here’s the ingredients list with everything you need:

• Cream Cheese – For best results, use softened cream cheese for this recipe. In a pinch, you can soften cream cheese in the microwave in short bursts and/or at low power.
• Garlic Powder – Granulated garlic instead of garlic powder should work too.
• Cheese – Go with some sort of cheddar cheese for your Jalapeno Popper Filling. We used a sharp cheddar, but you can use a normal, mild cheddar, pepper jack, Colby or get a bit of extra twang with an extra sharp cheddar instead.
• Green Onion – Scallions or green onions both work here. Chives would also technically work but they are a bit more expensive and delicate.
• Panko Bread Crumbs – You specifically want these Panko or Japanese breadcrumbs for the Jalapeno Popper topping. They’re much lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs.
• Butter
• Jalapenos – Technically speaking, you can only make Jalapeno Poppers with jalapeno peppers. However, if you’re after a milder pepper than jalapeno, you can try subbing in Poblano, Anaheim, or even bell peppers. It’s hard to make Pepper Poppers with anything spicier, since the peppers tend to get smaller and thinner the spicier they get.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Jalapeno Poppers with Cream Cheese

Like most other kinds of stuffed pepper appetizers, these Jalapeno Poppers are easy to make. Once you make cream cheese filling for them, it’s about as simple as stuffing peppers, adding a breadcrumb topping, and letting them bake till golden brown! Here’s how to make these Cream Cheese Jalapeno Pepper Poppers for yourself:

• Add softened cream cheese to a medium or large mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat cream cheese until fluffy.

• Add garlic powder and beat again until combined.

• Shred cheese, chop green onions, and add to bowl. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir until blended.

• Set finished cream cheese filling aside, grab a separate mixing bowl, and add Panko breadcrumbs. Melted butter, pour evenly over bread crumbs, and stir until butter is absorbed into bread crumbs.

• To prep jalapenos for Jalapeno Poppers, slice in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scrape out seeds and membranes inside pepper. Set prepared jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet.

• Carefully fill halved jalapenos with cream cheese filling. Be careful not to overfill or snap jalapenos while filling. Fill them until they’re about level with their sides.

• For one last topping, dip jalapenos– filling side first- into the buttered breadcrumbs before returning to baking sheet. Transfer to an awaiting 400 degree oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until breadcrumb topping is golden-brown. Let Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers cool for a few minutes before serving.

Storage / Freezing

Storage: Any leftover Jalapeno Poppers should be transferred to an airtight container or Ziploc bag for best storage. Let cool completely before sealing and moving to the refrigerator. Your Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers should last about 3-4 days in the fridge. For Make Ahead Jalapeno Poppers, optionally keep unbaked stuffed jalapenos in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.

Freezing: These Jalapeno Poppers also make for a decent frozen appetizer if you want to keep them in the freezer. Let cool completely and consider freezing on a baking sheet for 1-3 hours before transferring to a freezer bag or container. Keep Frozen Jalapeno Poppers for 3-6 months- freeze before or after baking and reheat in the oven for best results. Note that cream cheese tends to not freeze well, so there might be some texture and flavor changes.

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