Baked Jalapeno Poppers are a delightful and healthy twist to the traditional deep fried poppers. Perfect as part of a game time spread.
Tell me what is better than a cheesy stuffed baked jalapeno popper. While traditionally, jalapeno poppers are breaded and deep fried, this baked version is healthier will less greasy fat but still stuffed with cream cheese yumminess.
Baked jalapeno poppers are a delicious addition to a game time spread, along with favorites such as Cauliflower Buffalo Wings and Mexican Street Corn Nachos.
Shelled out jalapeno peppers are the perfect vessel for cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese with a healthy dose of garlic and bread crumbs.
These are very simple to make. The most tedious part is shelling out the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno peppers, and I highly recommend wearing gloves while doing so (trust me on this one).
Did you know that famed food eater Joey Chestnut holds the Major League Eating Record, eating 118 jalapeno poppers in a mere ten minutes?
My love for jalapeno poppers dates back to the early 1990’s when a beach side bar in Daytona Beach called The Ocean Deck served stuffed and breaded jalapenos with a berry dipping sauce. While they still served fried jalapeno poppers, sadly they no longer have the delicious berry sauce, instead serving them alongside a side of ranch.
The closest thing I have found for my beloved berry sauce is the bronco berry sauce served with the jalapeno poppers at the fast food chain Arby’s. However, I have an easy homemade knockoff Raspberry Sauce recipe here. The sauce I make in advance before whipping up these baked jalapeno poppers so the sauce has a time to chill out and the flavors meld.
Of course, if jalapeno peppers are a little too spicy for your taste, you could swap them out for red or green bell peppers. Just be sure to create enough of a shell that the cheesy filling will stay in place, and bake an additional 5 minutes as the bell pepper shells are much larger than their jalapeno counterparts.
Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Baked Jalapeno Poppers are a delightful and healthy twist to the traditional deep fried poppers.
Ingredients
- 10 jalapeno peppers
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut the stems off the jalapeno tops, then slice jalapenos in half. Scoop out the seeds and membranes using a grapefruit spoon or a small teaspoon. (I recommend using gloves for this step or thoroughly wash your hands after this step)
- Line the jalapenos up on a large parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder.
- In a separate bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter.
- Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture and then top with the melted butter crumbs.
- Bake the jalapenos for 20-22 minutes, until the jalapenos are slightly charred and the crumbs are golden.
- Allow jalapeno poppers to cool about 5 minutes then transfer to a serving platter.
- Serve with ranch dressing or raspberry sauce.