Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Filled with a tasty combination of sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and flavorful spices, Baked Jalapeno Poppers pack a wonderfully delicious spicy punch -- without the fat and mess of frying.

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I totally think jalapeno poppers are appropriately named. Because when it comes right down to it, they are truly so easy to just "pop" in your mouth. Both because of their perfectly poppable size -- and because of their fabulous flavor.

As much as I love them, I used to rarely make my own poppers at home -- purely because I don't like to fry. But then I discovered this BAKED Jalapeno Poppers recipe, which means I can make them with no frying! Yet, the poppers still deliver up that characteristic poppers flavor and crunch we love.

That's right, Baked Jalapeno Poppers can still deliver up the poppers' crunch we love. Thanks to a little touch of Panko bread crumbs.

Panko is a Japanese-style bread crumb that's made in larger flakes, rather than crumbs. It has a lighter, airier texture than regular bread crumbs that helps it crisp as it cooks, which in turn brings wonderful crunchy texture to dishes it's in. And crunch is definitely what a coating of Panko brings to these family-favorite Baked Jalapeno Poppers, indeed.

And oh WOW, are these Baked Jalapeno Poppers ever delicious! Packed with a seasoned cheddar and cream cheese filling, they deliver up all the fabulous popper flavor we love. -- All without the fat and hassle of frying.

These tasty poppers pack a wonderfully delicious spicy punch -- all without the fat and mess of frying.

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Great jalapeno popper flavor - With their tasty sharp cheddar and cream cheese filling packed inside jalapeno pepper halves, these baked poppers deliver up all the fabulous jalapeno popper flavor we love.
• No frying! - These tasty poppers pack a wonderfully delicious spicy punch -- all without the fat and mess of frying.
• Panko crunch - A coating of Japanese-style Panko bread crumbs brings wonderful crunch to these delicious baked jalapeno poppers. You won't miss that fried coating, for sure!
• Crowd pleaser - Serve up a platter of these tasty baked bites and watch them disappear. -- They just seem to be loved by all.

Baked Jalapeno Popper Ingredients:

It doesn't take a ton of ingredients to make these super tasty Baked Jalapeno Poppers. To whip up a batch, you'll need:

• Jalapeno peppers - Choose firm, unblemished jalapeno peppers that are on the larger side to allow for plenty of room to pack in the cheesy filling. When halving the peppers, completely remove the seeds and pith ribs inside for milder poppers. If it's spicy heat your looking for, leave a little of the pith rib and/or seeds in there to amp up that heat.

• Extra sharp cheddar cheese - The base of the cheesy filling. We use Cabot extra-sharp white cheddar. Grate your own cheddar (rather than using pre-shredded) for the best result, as it melts better than pre-shredded.

• Cream cheese - Brings nice creaminess to the jalapeno popper filling. Either regular of lower-fat Neufchatel cream cheese work fine, though we prefer using regular full-fat cream cheese for the creamier texture it produces.

• Garlic powder - Seasons the filling. Be sure to use garlic powder, not garlic salt.

• Chili powder - Seasons the filling, bringing a little bit of a spicy kick.

• Panko bread crumbs - Used as a coating on the baked jalapeno poppers to create a nice crunch. Panko is a Japanese-style bread crumb that's made in larger flakes, rather than crumbs. It has a lighter, airier texture than regular bread crumbs that helps it crisp as it cooks, which in turn brings wonderful crunchy texture to dishes it's in. You could use regular unflavored bread crumbs instead, but Panko crumbs give such a wonderful texture and crunch to the poppers, we highly recommend sticking with Panko.

• Eggs - Serve as a binder for the poppers Panko coating. Dipping the stuffed jalapeno halves in beaten egg helps the Panko crumbs adhere.

• Salt - Seasons the Panko bread crumb coating and enhances the flavors of the baked poppers.

How to Make Baked Jalapeno Poppers:

The steps to put these Baked Jalapeno Poppers together may sound a bit cumbersome, but they're really not so bad. The poppers actually come together quite quickly with an "assembly line" approach. -- fill, egg dip, Panko, pan ... fill, egg dip, Panko, pan ... Repeat, repeat, repeat. 

The photo above shows my prep assembly line, all ready to go. Working from right to left, I've got my halved peppers and filling, then the beaten egg for dipping, followed by Panko crumbs, and then the baking pan.

But we've gotten a little ahead of ourselves in the Baked Jalapeno Poppers prep process ...

To get these poppers started, first mix up a filling of grated sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, a touch of garlic powder, and chili powder for spice.

Then stuff a little bit of the cheese filling into emptied-out jalapeno halves. I've found the easiest way to do the stuffing (and the whole popper assembly process, for that matter) is with the best kitchen utensils I have - my hands! I just press the cheese filling into the pepper with my fingers.

After filling with the cheese mixture, dunk each jalapeno half in beaten egg.

Then roll the filled-and-dipped jalapeno half around in Panko bread crumbs.

Get a good coating of crumbs on the exposed cheese-top of the popper, but don't worry too much about the bottom. -- The Panko crumbs tend to not stick so well to the jalapeno pepper itself, and that's okay.

A good solid coating of Panko on the cheesy top will give the crunchy popper texture we're looking for just fine.

Place the filled-and-coated jalapeno poppers on a baking sheet, and bake until they're a nice golden brown.

Serve some sour cream alongside your baked jalapeno poppers for dipping, and you've got a most-excellent spicy popper treat. -- All without the fat or hassle of frying.

Check out these other tasty baked party nibbles:

• Pepperoni Pepper Poppers
• Ham & Cheese Party Sandwiches
• Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Party Sandwiches
• Baked Buffalo Wings
• Warm Rosemary Olives
• Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
• Jalapeno Pepper Jack Sausage Balls
• Crescent Sausage Bites
• More appetizers & snacks

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

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Appetizers & Snacks

Yield: 24 poppers

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Filled with a tasty combination of sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and flavorful spices, Baked Jalapeno Poppers pack a wonderfully delicious spicy punch -- without the fat and mess of frying.

prep time: 25 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 55 M

ingredients:

• 12 jalapeno peppers
• 4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I use Cabot)
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 c. Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Sour cream (for dipping)

instructions:

How to cook Baked Jalapeno Poppers

1. Peppers and Filling: Cut each jalapeno pepper in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard seeds and ribs. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, and chili powder.
3. Prepare Your Assembly Line: In a small shallow bowl, lightly beat eggs until frothy. In another small shallow bowl, mix together panko bread crumbs and salt. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange your "assembly line" for easy preparation - halved jalapenos, cheese filling mixture, beaten eggs, panko, and then your prepared baking pan.
4. Popper Assembly: Fill each jalapeno pepper half with a little of the cheese mixture (I found it easiest to just press the cheese filling in with my fingers). Roll each pepper half in egg, and then in panko (the panko will stick a lot to the cheese filling, but just a little to the jalapeno itself). Place each pepper on the baking sheet.
5. Baking: Bake at 325℉ until tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream for dipping.

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