Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers (Air Fryer)
These Easy Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers (Air Fryer) are the perfect game day appetizer. They are loaded with spices, two kinds of cheese, and buffalo sauce for an extra layer of flavor. The bacon cooks to perfection in the air fryer in only 10 minutes. And don’t forget the ranch for dipping!
Servings: 20 poppers
Calories: 94kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 ounces spreadable cream cheese*
- 1 Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 medium jalapeños halved lengthwise, seeds & membranes removed
- 10 slices bacon sliced in half*
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese shredded*
- 20 toothpicks
- cooking spray
Optional
- chives, ranch dressing for dipping
Instructions
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, buffalo sauce, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt, until the seasonings are well combined into the cream cheese. Fold in the shredded pepper jack.
- Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture.
- Wrap each jalapeño popper with ½ a piece of bacon. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Cook the jalapeño poppers in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Cook them at 360 degrees for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through. Cook time will vary slightly depending on the air fryer.
Notes
Cream Cheese: I like to use spreadable because it is easy to work with. You can use a block, but let it soften a bit first.
Buffalo Wing Sauce: This adds an extra zing to the jalapeño poppers, but if you are worried about them being too spicy, omit this.
Bacon: Do not use thick cut bacon. It will not cook properly and be harder to wrap.
Pepper Jack Cheese: You can substitute this for cheddar or colby jack cheese to reduce the spice. Shred your own cheese from a block for better melting.
Use gloves when handling the jalapeños. Scraping the membranes and seeds out of the jalapeño will irritate your skin. It may cause some burning.
Remove as much of the membrane as possible. The membrane is the white fiber that is in the middle of the pepper. This contains the most spice. The more of the membrane left intact, the spicier the peppers will be.
Leave the stems on. If you cut off the stem end, this will open one side of the jalapeño and all of the fill will run out when heated. You want to create a little bowl for the cheese filling so leave the stem on.
Shred your own cheese. You will see this tip in 90% of my recipes because most of them involve cheese. Always buy a block and shred it at home. It melts and tastes way better.
Use toothpicks. Carefully, push a toothpick through the center of the jalapeño to secure the bacon.
Do not stack the jalapeño poppers. Place the jalapeño poppers in a single layer in the air fryer. If you stack them, they will stick together as they cook.
Let the jalapeño poppers cool for 5 minutes before serving. As soon as they come out of the air fryer, they will be extremely hot and the filling will be runny. As they cool the cheese will set and they will be easier to eat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1popper | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 208mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g