The Best Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
These Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers are equal parts easy, quick, and delicious. Made with spicy buffalo sauce, melty pepper Jack and cream cheese filling, and a crispy bacon exterior, you’ll love creating these jalapeno poppers for game day, holidays, gatherings, and more. Serve them as an appetizer or side dish alongside your favorite entrée for a flavor-packed meal.
Servings: 20
Ingredients
- 5 ounces full fat brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon buffalo sauce, optional
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic & onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded*
- 10 medium jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeds & membranes removed
- 10 slices bacon, sliced in half
- 20 toothpicks & cooking spray
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, buffalo sauce, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt, until well combined. Fold in the pepper jack cheese.5 ounces full fat brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature, 1 Tablespoon buffalo sauce, optional, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic & onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded*
- Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture using a spatula or spoon.10 medium jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeds & membranes removed
- Wrap each jalapeño popper with 1/2 a piece of bacon and use a toothpick to secure the bacon.10 slices bacon, sliced in half, 20 toothpicks & cooking spray
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and arrange the peppers in a single layer. You will likely need to air fry these in batches.
- Air fry at 340 degrees for 14-17 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through and crispy.
Notes
- Pepper Jack: You can use any cheese for these air fryer bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers. I prefer using pepper jack, as it adds a bit more heat to each of the bacon-wrapped jalapenos with cream cheese in air fryer. However, you can use other options like shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or gouda.
- Soften the cream cheese. It’s best to make air fryer bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers with softened cream cheese, as it’s easier to mix and work with. Allow the cream cheese to sit on your counter for about 30 minutes so it can soften and come to room temp.
- Grate blocks of cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking ingredient that helps keep it from sticking together. This ingredient also means it does not melt as well as freshly shredded cheese. Use freshly shredded cheese for an even gooey-er filling.
- Use gloves when prepping the jalapeños. Jalapeños naturally release an oil that can irritate your skin as they're chopped. Avoid irritation by wearing gloves when handling jalapeños.
- Do not cut off the stems. While cooking in the air fryer, the filling becomes gooey and melty. So, if you chop off the jalapeños' stems, the filling will likely drip out the air fryer jalapeño poppers. So, it's best to keep the stems on for this recipe.
- Use toothpicks. The best way to keep the bacon from unraveling while cooking is by using a few toothpicks to adhere it to the poppers. Remember to remove all toothpicks once the poppers are fully cooked.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Place the poppers in a single layer with plenty of space between them so they can cook evenly. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook the poppers in batches until they’re all cooked.
- Keep poppers warm in the oven. If you're making these air fryer jalapeno poppers ahead of time for a party, you can keep them warm in the oven until the guests arrive. Place the poppers in a single layer on a baking sheet and keep them in the oven at 350F until you're ready to serve them. Don't leave them in too long, or they may start to become soggy.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 181mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g