These Jalapeno Popper Bites are perfectly crispy on the outside with a deliciously melty cheesy center stuffed with spicy jalapenos and smoky bacon!
Truly the best appetizer for the Holidays, special occasions, game nights, or whenever you’re craving something spicy and cheesy.
Jalapeno Popper Bites
So – I’m obsessed with these Jalapeno Popper Bites!! Crispy, melty, cheesy, spicy, smoky… it’s that kind of appetizer that just disappears because it’s so good!
Bonus point? You can make it ahead of time and fry it when ready to serve which makes it a great appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all sorts of special occasions!
These Jalapeno Popper Bites are:
- Crispy on the outside.
- Melty and cheesy!
- Spicy!
- Smoky with lots of bacon!
- Easy to make.
- Perfect as a make-ahead appetizer!
- A major crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Cream cheese. This is the base of your Jalapeno Popper Bites: it holds its shape beautifully when fried and is cheesy and melty at the same time!
Cheddar cheese or Gouda cheese. I recommend buying a block and shredding it at home so you get the best flavor and texture! This adds even more cheesiness to the bites!
Jalapenos, of course hehe! Not all jalapenos are super spicy but generally the seeds and membranes are where the spiciness is so if you want to keep all the spiciness add them in but if not, discard them. Some jalapenos I used weren’t that spicy, I would recommend a splash of hot sauce if yours aren’t that spicy either but you want spicy!
Bacon, cut into tiny bits and cooked until crispy! If you want to make them vegetarian, you can totally skip the bacon hehe!
Flour, all purpose, for dredging the cheese balls.
Eggs, for the coating so the panko crumbs stick into a crispy even layer!
Panko crumbs, for the crispy outer layer or you can also do half breadcrumbs half crushed cornflakes, all crushed cornflakes, or all breadcrumbs for a finer crumb!
Oil, for frying. I use sunflower but you can use canola, vegetable, or peanut.
How to make Jalapeno Popper Bites
STEP ONE: Cook the bacon. In a medium pan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from the heat and place onto a clean plate so it can cool down. You can do this the day before and store the cooked bacon in the fridge, if you want.
STEP TWO: Make the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar, jalapenos, and bacon. Mix until combined and creamy. If your jalapenos aren’t very spicy, you can add in a splash of hot sauce.
STEP THREE: Form into mini cheese balls. Using your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon worth of cheese mixture into a ball then place in a single layer onto a clean plate or an air-tight container. If you live in a hot climate and the mixture is too sticky, you can cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Freeze. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes or overnight (or up to 3 months, you can transfer the frozen bites into ziplock bags for easier storing).
STEP FIVE: Prepare the ingredients for the coating. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside. In a medium dish, add the flour. In a second medium dish, add the panko crumbs.
STEP SIX: Prepare the oil for frying. In a small skillet, add about 1/2 inch (2.5 cm) oil and heat until it reaches 350F (180C) or until a crumb of panko added to oil sizzles immediately once added. While the oil heats, prepare the first batch of bites.
STEP SEVEN: Coat and fry. Grab one of the bites, roll it in flour until it’s evenly coated then in the whisked eggs until evenly coated and finally in the panko crumbs until evenly coated. Immediately add to the oil and repeat with the other bites. Fry until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Place the fried bites onto a clean plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve hot!
Dipping sauce ideas
Ranch, cilantro lime sauce, buffalo ranch, chipotle mayo, sweet chili sauce.
Variations
For Buffalo Jalapeno Popper Bites: add a splash of Frank’s Hot Sauce when making the cheese mixture (step 2). Serve with blue cheese dip instead of ranch hehe!
For Vegetarian Jalapeno Popper Bites: skip the bacon!
For Not Spicy Jalapeno Popper Bites for kids: use green bell peppers instead of jalapenos!
For Gluten-Free Jalapeno Popper Bites: dredge in gluten-free all-purpose flour and use crushed cornflakes for the crispy layer!
For the Air-Fryer: If you want to air-fry instead of deep-fry, dredge and coat the mini bites with flour, eggs, and panko as instructed in step 7 then coat the prepared bites with oil, place in the air-fryer in a single layer (make sure they’re not touching) and air-fry at 340F (170C) for 7 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
Make-Ahead Instructions: This is a perfect make-ahead appetizer but make sure to only fry it when ready to serve! To make-ahead, follow the recipe from step 1 to step four, then freeze up to 2 months. Freeze in a single layer first, once the bites are frozen, you can store them in ziplock bags, if you prefer! Do NOT thaw, fry from frozen but you may need to fry them for a longer time (2-3 more minutes).
Storing Instructions: These are better eaten as they’re made as fried food softens up when stored but you can store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat in a pan with a splash of oil over high heat, once the oil is hot, add them to the pan and keep rolling them around until crispy!
HAPPY FRYING!! I hope you'll love this Jalapeno Popper Bites Recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More fun appetizers you'll love:
Jalapeno Popper Bites
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon (cut into bits, skip for vegetarian bites)
- 4 jalapenos (diced, with seeds and membranes for more heat or discard seeds and membranes for less heat)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (150 g) breadcrumbs
- 1 cup (110 g) panko or crushed cornflakes
- 2 eggs
- Oil (sunflower, vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. In a medium pan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from the heat and place onto a clean plate so it can cool down. You can do this the day before and store the cooked bacon in the fridge, if you want.
- Make the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar, jalapenos, and bacon. Mix until combined and creamy. If your jalapenos aren't very spicy, you can add in a splash of hot sauce.
- Form into mini cheese balls. Using your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon worth of cheese mixture into a ball then place in a single layer onto a clean plate or an air-tight container. If you live in a hot climate and the mixture is too sticky, you can cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Freeze. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes or overnight (or up to 2 months, you can transfer the frozen bites into ziplock bags for easier storing).
- Prepare the ingredients for the coating. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside. In a medium dish, add the flour. In a second medium dish, add the panko crumbs.
- Prepare the oil for frying. In a small skillet, add about 1/2 inch (2.5 cm) oil and heat until it reaches 350F (180C) or until a crumb of panko added to oil sizzles immediately once added. While the oil heats, prepare the first batch of bites.
- Coat and fry. Grab one of the bites, roll it in flour until it's evenly coated then in the whisked eggs until evenly coated and finally in the panko crumbs until evenly coated. Immediately add to the oil and repeat with the other bites. Fry until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Place the fried bites onto a clean plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve hot!
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