Who doesn’t love a game-day snack that bites you back a bit? These stuffed jalapeno peppers have the spiciness you crave from jalapenos, loaded with tangy, rich cream cheese and cheddar blend to mellow the heat. Just bake in the oven or air fry – in less than 20 minutes, you can enjoy perfectly creamy stuffed jalapeno peppers!
Whether you’re getting a party started or want to serve an appetizer with a fun and spicy kick, this easy stuffed jalapeno poppers recipe will surely be a hit at your next gathering.
I firmly believe that party food should be easy and – equally important – fun to prepare. It just seems like a shame to stress over what should be a relaxing time with friends. And you know they will be more than happy with whatever you serve!
So whenever we are hosting a casual get-together, I always have this cheddar and cream cheese jalapeno poppers recipe ready to go.
Content Covered Here
Why We Love This Recipe
- They’re ready in 30 minutes! Pop-able spicy and cheesy peppers are a classic game day dish that is a snap to make in under 30 minutes with only 4 ingredients.
- Make them in the oven or air fryer! Sharp and smokey cheddar cheese is combined with tangy cream cheese, plus chopped green onion for an even more vibrant and fresh flavor. This delightful mixture is then loaded inside whole jalapenos and oven-baked or air-fried to peak roasted goodness.
Easy and fast to make, crazy delicious to enjoy, ideal for serving at gatherings of all sizes and for nearly any occasion…We guarantee you will love this family-favorite recipe to make the best-stuffed jalapeno poppers possible!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
We’ve kept things simple and delicious to make this a crowd-pleasing vegetarian spicy poppers recipe.
- Jalapeno peppers – Get well-rounded peppers that are at least 3-4 inches long
- Cheddar cheese – Shredding your cheese makes a difference in melting. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that impair that cheese pull everyone loves!
- Cream cheese – We recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest poppers!
- Green onion – To add a little color! You can substitute with chopped parsley.
Serve them with a dip! They pair well with bang bang shrimp sauce, salsa with jalapeno peppers, or mango with chili.
Recipe Variations
- As-is this is a vegetarian jalapeno poppers recipe. However, you can certainly add cooked crumbled bacon to the top of the cheese mixture before baking or air frying.
- For even more spiciness, swap the cheddar cheese with shredded pepper Jack cheese. Spicy stuffed jalapenos are the ideal game-day appetizer, whether for a Super Bowl party or a tailgating celebration.
- Use low fat cream cheese for a slightly lighter snack.
- See the directions below for making these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer. Then you have the oven available for other dishes!
How to make Jalapeno Poppers
- Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. I save the top 1/3 of the peppers for salsa.
- After cutting the peppers length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth.
- Place peppers on a baking sheet. If the peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around.
- Mash the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.
- Roast at 425ºF for 15 to 18 minutes. The appetizers are ready when the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
How to make Stuffed Jalapenos in the Air Fryer
To free up oven space, bake these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer. If needed, preheat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- Place the stuffed peppers in the air fryer keeping at least 1 inch of space around the poppers.
- Air fry (or bake)at 400ºF for 12 – 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
Serving Suggestions
These are best served hot and crispy! They pair perfectly with cool, creamy dips like sour cream, guacamole, or ranch dressing. For a spicier kick, try serving them with salsa de jalapeño or pico de Gallo.
Recipe FAQs
These stuffed poppers have the membranes and seeds removed, so they are mildly spicy. The membranes and seeds contain the highest concentration of capsaicin. Capsaicin is the ingredient found in different types of hot peppers, such as cayenne peppers, that makes the peppers spicy hot.
My favorite dipping sauces for these jalapeno poppers are blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, jalapeno salsa, or sweet chili sauce.
After cutting the peppers length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth. I wear gloves when cleaning hot peppers to keep my hands free from the capsaicin, which can burn your skin.
Jalapeno poppers can be stored in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container. We recommend reheating them in the oven at 350ºF, but you can also reheat them in a microwave or air fryer at 325ºF.
To reheat frozen peppers, remove them from the freezer. Let defrost on a paper towel for about 30 minutes. The paper towel will wick away the moisture and keep the center crispier when baked.
Place them on a cookie sheet and into a preheated oven at 400ºF. Bake for 17 – 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated all t
For best results, do not bake or air fry the jalapeno popper appetizers before freezing.
After stuffing, flash-freeze them individually on a baking sheet until they are hard and firm. This takes about 2 hours.
Then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can last up to 6 months when stored properly in the freezer.
Consider These Delicious Appetizer Recipes…
- Appetizers with Tater Tots
- Easy Sausage Balls with Bisquick
- Cajun Crab Dip Recipe
- Spicy Deviled Eggs
If you tried this stuffed jalapeno peppers recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- non-stick cooking spray
- parchment paper
- air fryer basket or rack
Ingredients
- 12 large jalapeno peppers
- 6 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 6 ounces shredded smoked Pepper Jack cheese or extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise. After cutting the jalapenos length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth.
- Place jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet. If the peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around. Mash the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.
Oven Roasted Poppers
- Prepare your baking sheet by spraying it with cooking oil or line it with parchment paper. Place the jalapenos on a baking sheet leaving at least 1" of space around the jalapenos.
- Bake or Roast at 425º F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown at the edges and bubbly.
Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF, if needed. Place the stuffed jalapenos in the air fryer basket or rack, keeping at least 1 inch of space around the poppers.
- Air fry (or bake) for 12 – 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email below, and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox.
Kathryn says
These poppers made a delicious appetizer and they were so easy to put together. So simple and quick to make especially in the air fryer!
Janet Whitfield says
I made these at our Beach House for the football games today. So fun to make! I discovered a tip to share with you… I had an oyster shucking knife here that was perfect for getting the seeds out and cleaning the peppers inside smooth.
Donna Russo says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We had 6 fresh jalapeños from our garden, so I whipped up your recipe and made them last night. I also added some pinko bread crumbs on top. It was WONDERFUL and so easy!
Heather says
I added some cracked red pepper flakes to give them a little more heat.
Laura says
So excited to find this post (through Pinterest) as I’ve had a bumper crop of jalapenos this year and we can’t eat them fast enough. Now I can freeze these to pull out all through football season for the boys! Thanks so much! I only gave it a 4 stars, not a 5, because I haven’t even tried them yet!