Baked Jalapeño Poppers

If there’s football on the TV, these baked jalapeño poppers are on the menu! This recipe features three cheeses and plenty of spices stuffed into halved fresh jalapeños. They’re then roasted in the oven instead of frying for a lighter, easier party or game-day appetizer. These easy jalapeño poppers take 30 minutes and can be prepped ahead of time.

Anyone who knows me knows that there are two things I really, really love:

1. Food
2. Football

And, of course, I love to eat food while watching football. My family takes our game-day appetizers very seriously. Whether it’s my aunt’s pepperoni bread, the perfect charcuterie board, or a batch of homemade jalapeño poppers, there’s something special on the menu each weekend during football season.

I’ve been making these baked jalapeño poppers for years. They have inspired variations like my , pimento cheese jalapeño poppers and even my jalapeño popper dip. But I keep coming back to the original recipe because you just can’t beat it.

Skip the fryer and roast these poppers in the oven for an easier, but still delicious, version. You can make them in just 30 minutes from start to finish or even prep them ahead of time before a big party!

Ingredient notes

• Fresh jalapeños: These are the star of the show! As I mentioned above, look for larger peppers that are similar in size.
• Cream cheese: This gives us a rich, creamy, slightly tangy base for our filling. Set it out at room temperature to soften before you start cooking.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar is best. Shred it yourself if you can for the smoothest melt!
• Feta cheese: This adds a salty bite that is just so good wth the tangy cream cheese and sharpness of the cheddar.
• Herbs and spices: A combination of garlic powder, onion powder, and fresh cilantro. If you don’t like cilantro, feel free to omit it or swap it for fresh parsley or even sliced green onions or chives.

Prepping the jalapeños

Wash and dry all of your jalapeño peppers. Using a sharp knife, cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Don’t cut off the top of the peppers—leaving that on each half will help keep the filling in so it doesn’t ooze out in the oven.

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the membranes. This is where most of the heat lives in the peppers. If you like spicy food and want more spice in your jalapeño poppers, leave some of the seeds and don’t scoop out the ribs/membrane.

If peppers don’t want to lay well on the flat baking sheet and keep rolling around, trim a very small amount from the base to create more of flat surface. Make sure to just trim enough to help them not roll around, but don’t make a hole in the pepper!

Adding bacon to baked jalapeño poppers

While I love this jalapeño popper recipe as is, you can easily add bacon in a couple of ways:

• Add to the filling: Stir pre-cooked bacon bits or cooked and crumbled bacon into the filling before stuffing the peppers. This is the easiest way to go.
• Wrap the peppers: For even more bacon in every bite, wrap strips of uncooked bacon around the stuffed peppers, similar to making bacon-wrapped little smokies. For more tips on this process, check out my bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper mummies recipe.

Make-ahead tips

These jalapeño poppers can be made 1-2 days in advance. Prep and stuff the peppers, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to bake them, place them on a lined baking sheet while the oven preheats, then roast according to the recipe directions.

Storage

Jalapeño poppers are one of those foods that are best enjoyed the same day they’re made. Because these are baked, they will reheat a bit better than fried ones, but they still won’t be quite the same.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them briefly in an air fryer or toaster oven.

NEED MORE RECIPES FOR GAME DAY?

I’ve teamed up with my food blog friends to share our favorite game day recipes:

• Chili Cheese Burritos by Love Bakes Good Cakes
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders by Dash of Herbs
• Mediterranean Seven Layer Dip by The Culinary Compass
• Jalapeño Popper Pull Apart Bread by The Life Jolie
• Pepperoni Pizza Dip by Feast + West
• Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls by Family Food on the Table
• Mini Bacon Ranch Cheese Balls by The Thirsty Feast
• Wonton Taco Cups by A Mind Full Mom
• Cookie Dough Cheese Ball by Bread Booze Bacon
• Chile Beer Sangria by Cake ‘n Knife
• Low Carb Stuffed Crust Pizza by Sustaining the Powers
• Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese by Hello Little Home
• Jalapeño Popper Chicken Wings by Around My Family Table
• Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs by The Crumby Cupcake
• Baked Taco Empanadas by Simplify, Live, Love
• Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Meatballs by West via Midwest
• Puff Pastry Bacon Pizza Twists by 2 Cookin Mamas
• Spicy Sausage Rolls by Peanut Blossom
• Protein Dark Chocolate Truffles by The Creative Bite
• Chickpea Pepper Cheese Poppers by Bucket List Tummy
• Meyer Lemon Shandies by The Speckled Palate
• Game Day Fried Deviled Eggs with Chow Chow Relish by For the Love of Food
• Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls by Simple and Savory
• Pastrami Nachos by A Little Gathering
• Shrimp Ceviche Dip by Glisten and Grace
• Easy Pepperoni Rolls by Me and My Pink Mixer
• Real Boneless Chicken Wings by Crunch Time Kitchen
• Cauliflower Tater Tots by Living Well Kitchen
• Cheeseburger Naan Pizza by Shaws Simple Swaps
• Sweet n’ Spicy BBQ Popcorn by Life’s Ambrosia
• Simple Meatball Sub Sliders by Loaves & Dishes
• Maple-Mustard Bacon Chicken Bites by An Oregon Cottage
• Ricotta Stuffed Sausage Meatballs by Joyfully Mad