Grilled Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers are the perfect snack or game day appetizer! Fresh jalapenos are stuffed with a mixture of cheeses and seasoning and wrapped in smoky bacon and cooked on the barbecue until tender.
The cheese becomes perfectly melty, the peppers tender and the bacon crisp and smoky for the most amazing bite.
I absolutely adore stuffed jalapeno poppers in any way, shape, or form and I especially love this version using fresh jalapenos and bacon and it just so happens that skipping the breading makes these into a low carb/keto jalapeno popper!
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
When cutting several jalapenos, please please please wear gloves. The oils in the peppers can really affect (and burn) your skin if you’re cutting several peppers.
- Prep Peppers: Cut jalapenos in half and rmeove the seeds/membranes.
- Mix filling: Use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, cheddar and seasonings.
- Fill Peppers: Spoon the mixture in and wrap in bacon.
Control the spice level: To reduce the heat from jalapenos (and other spicy peppers), be sure to remove all of the seeds and membranes as that’s where the capsaicin is contained (which is what makes them spicy). You can use any peppers in this recipe including sweet baby red & yellow peppers if you don’t like spice or would like to have another option for those that don’t eat spicy foods.
How to Cook Bacon Wrapped Poppers
Grilled Jalapeno Poppers: Cook these on the grill in the summer, and while you can cook them directly on the grill, a grill mat helps reduce flare ups! I slightly pre-cook the bacon, this also helps reduce flare ups and it always results in a crisper bacon without overcooking the peppers. To grill cream cheese poppers from frozen, we turn the grill down and cook them low and slow to ensure the middle heats & melts.
Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Poppers: In the winter, we bake this stuffed jalapeno poppers recipe in the oven. Preheat to 425 degrees, place on a parchment lined pan and bake about 18-23 minutes or until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted. Broil 1 minute at the end if needed. So easy!
To Make Ahead/Freeze
Jalapeno Poppers are the perfect snack to have on hand for unexpected guests. I often make a couple of large trays and freeze them (before cooking). Once frozen I move them to a sealed container (or freezer bag) and store them for a few months.
When guests pop by, pour a pitcher of mojitos, heat up the grill and throw these on right from frozen.
Bring on the Heat
Here are some of my other favorite recipes with a spicy kick of jalapenos:
- Jalapeno Popper Dip Reader fave
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Simple to mae
- Jalapeno Popper Crescent Cups Flaky crescent cups filled popper dip
- Jalapeno Mac and Cheese Bites Hand held mac and cheese with a kick
- Baked Buffalo Wings All of the flavor without the mess
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (Grilled)
Ingredients
- 6 whole jalapeno peppers
- 6 ounces cream cheese the block, not the spreadable
- 1 green onion finely minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 12 slices bacon
Instructions
- Cut the stem off each jalapeno and cut in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scrape out seeds & membranes.
- In a small bowl combine cream cheese, green onion, garlic powder and cheddar cheese. Stuff into the jalapeno halves.
- Wrap each jalapeno completely with bacon ensuring the cheese is covered. Secure with toothpicks.
To Grill
- Place jalapenos on grill cut side down and grill just until bacon begins to crisp (about 6 minutes). Gently loosen bacon from the grill and flip jalapenos over. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook an additional 10-12 minutes or until bacon is cooked and cheese is melted.
To Bake
- Preheat to 425°F, place on a parchment lined pan and bake about 18-23 minutes or until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer
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Jalapeño Cheddar Burgers (Turkey or Beef)
These were great. Took them to a party and they disappeared in five minutes!
very good
OMG!! These are the best things ever!!!!
You can cook these in the air fryer Delish!
Recipe was easy to follow. I had to finish them off in my air fryer. My grill didn’t get hot enough. They were perfect. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Great recipe. Ate them all! Them made some more for everyone else.
Haha, I love that, Lyonrc! Thanks for sharing.
I’m excited to try these! In the picture, they are shown with some kind of dip. What is good to dip these in?
They are delicious on their own or served with almost any dip! I love pairing it with a sour cream based dip or even a ranch dip to balance the spiciness as well!
Holy crap. These are DELICIOUS!!!! The only thing I changed was how I cooked them. I cooked them in my air fryer: 395 degrees for 15 minutes. HEAVEN!!
how Lang can you freeze them before grilling?
Hi Bec, they should last in the freezer for a few months.