Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Bacon-wrapped jalapeños bake around a creamy cheddar filling, with a clearly separated batch of mild sweet pepper bites for guests who avoid heat.

58 min

6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

8 medium fresh jalapeños

3 mini sweet bell peppers, for mild servings

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

11 slices regular-cut bacon, cut crosswise in half

Rimmed sheet pan · Oven-safe wire rack · Mixing bowl · Small spoon · Food-safe gloves · Clean tongs

Keep the heat manageable

Scrape out the pale ribs along with every seed, and wear gloves while handling raw jalapeños.

Mark the mild bites

Use a separate plate and clean tongs for the sweet pepper poppers so guests can identify the no-heat option.

01. Heat the oven to 400 F and set a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan so the bacon can brown above the drippings.

02. Stir the softened cream cheese smooth, then fold in cheddar, scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.

03. Wear food-safe gloves; halve the jalapeños and remove seeds and pale membranes, then halve and seed the sweet peppers separately.

04. Fill every pepper half level with the cheese mixture; a flush top heats through without spilling as the peppers soften.

05. Cut bacon slices in half and wrap a piece snugly around each filled half, tucking the ends underneath.

06. Keep jalapeño and sweet pepper poppers in separate rack zones, seams down, with room between them for air to circulate.

07. Bake at 400 F for 25 to 28 minutes, rotating once; remove when the bacon is browned and the filling bubbles at the edges.

08. Rest for 5 minutes, then transfer the mild sweet pepper bites to their own plate with clean tongs.