Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Fresh jalapeños are sliced, stuffed with a seasoned cream cheese filling, wrapped tightly in bacon, and cooked in the air fryer until gloriously crispy — no messy deep-frying required.
Equipment
- Air fryer - 5.8-quart or larger recommended for fitting 12 poppers in 1-2 batches
- Sharp paring knife - For slicing and seeding jalapeños
- Cutting board
- Medium mixing bowl - For the cream cheese filling
- Hand mixer or stand mixer - Optional, but makes the filling extra fluffy
- Rubber spatula - For filling the jalapeños
- Toothpicks - To secure the bacon
- Tongs - For handling hot poppers
- Disposable gloves - Highly recommended when handling jalapeños to protect your hands from capsaicin
- Small spoon or piping bag - For filling the jalapeños neatly (optional)
Ingredients
- 12 fresh jalapeños - medium-sized, about 3-4 inches or 7.5-10 cm long
- 8 oz cream cheese - 225g, softened to room temperature, full-fat block recommended
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - 115g, sharp cheddar recommended for bold flavor
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 strips thin-cut bacon - thin-cut wraps more easily and crisps faster than thick-cut
- toothpicks - for securing the bacon
For Serving (Optional)
- ranch dressing - for dipping
- sour cream - for serving
- honey - for drizzling
Instructions
- Put on disposable gloves and rinse the jalapeños under cold water, patting them dry. Slice each in half lengthwise, then use a small spoon or knife tip to scrape out the seeds and white membrane (pith) from each half.
- In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix with a hand mixer or spatula until smooth and creamy.
- Using a small spoon, rubber spatula, or piping bag, generously fill each jalapeño half with the cream cheese mixture, pressing slightly to adhere. Fill until flush with or slightly mounded above the rim.
- Starting at the narrow tip, wrap one strip of thin-cut bacon tightly around each filled jalapeño half in a spiral, overlapping edges slightly. Secure the bacon end with a toothpick pushed through the bacon and into the pepper.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the poppers in the air fryer basket in a single layer, cut-side up with filling facing upward. Ensure they are not touching or overcrowded, cooking in batches if needed.
- Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10-13 minutes. At the halfway point (6-7 minutes), gently flip each popper with tongs to crisp the other side.
- Carefully transfer cooked poppers to a serving platter using tongs. Let them rest for 2-3 minutes, then remove toothpicks before serving.
Notes
- Use thin-cut bacon: Thick-cut takes longer to crisp and can remain chewy. Thin-cut crisps perfectly in the air fryer's cook time.
- Always preheat the air fryer: A cold basket leads to uneven cooking. Preheat for 3-5 minutes at 375°F.
- Don't skip the gloves: Jalapeño oil lingers on skin and can cause intense burning if you touch your face or eyes.
- Soften the cream cheese fully: Room temperature cream cheese blends smoothly without lumps. Set it out for at least 30 minutes before mixing.
- Secure the bacon well: Toothpicks inserted firmly through the bacon end and into the pepper prevent unraveling during cooking.
- Don't overcrowd the basket: Poppers need space for air circulation. Crowding traps steam and prevents crispy bacon.
- Flip halfway through: Turning the poppers around the 6-7 minute mark ensures even browning on all sides.
- Make ahead: Assemble poppers up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Cook straight from the fridge, adding 1-2 minutes to cook time.
- Reheat in the air fryer: Refrigerated poppers reheat at 350°F for 4-5 minutes to re-crisp the bacon. Avoid the microwave to prevent rubbery bacon.
- Adjust the heat: For milder poppers, remove all seeds and membrane. For extra heat, leave some seeds in. You can also soak seeded halves in cold water for 30 minutes to further reduce heat.