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    Home » Recipes » Appetizer » Jalapeno Popper Bites

    Jalapeno Popper Bites

    Published: Sep 18, 2020 · Modified: Apr 25, 2023 by Tonia Larson

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    ↓ JUMP TO RECIPE ↓ JUMP TO VIDEO

    Jalapeno Popper Bites are deep fried, melted cheese balls stuffed with diced jalapeños and bacon, coated in crispy breadcrumbs.

    a close up photo of a jalapeño popper bite with a bite taken out of it

    I’m all for the traditional jalapenos poppers but when we visited a restaurant in Rochester Minnesota called Hefe Rojo and tasted their jalapenos chicken poppers we were blown away! I decided to make my own version, leaving out the chicken, and have since discovered that Texas Roadhouse serves something similar called Rattlesnake Bites.

    removing seeds from jalapenos

    Wearing gloves, slice three jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and membranes. You can use a jalapeno pepper corer or a teaspoon. Then, dice the jalapenos.

    stuffing ingredients in a bowl

    Put the softened cream cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, diced jalapenos, bacon bits, and sriracha sauce into a bowl.

    Can I substitute another kind of cheese?

    I used pepper jack cheese to bring added flavor and a little heat but other cheeses would work too. You can substitute an equal amount of another shredded cheese for the pepper jack cheese in this jalapeno popper bites recipe.

    As far as the cream cheese goes, I used plain cream cheese but a flavored cream cheese such as garden vegetable or chive would be delicious as well!

    How can I make jalapeno popper bites more or less spicy?

    These jalapeno popper bites are medium hot. To make them less spicy, use a milder cheese, skip adding the sriracha sauce, and cayenne pepper.

    To make spicier jalapeno popper bites, you could add some of the jalapeno seeds, add more sriracha sauce and cayenne pepper, or add red pepper flakes.

    mixing ingredients in a bowl with a power hand mixer

    Mix the ingredients until combined.

    What else could I add to these jalapeno popper bites?

    Although we thoroughly enjoyed these jalapeño popper bites as the recipe it written, I look forward to making other versions by adding or subtracting ingredients! Here are a few options for additional ingredients.

    • shredded chicken
    • cooked chorizo pork sausage
    • diced bell peppers
    • sliced green onions
    scooping jalapeño popper bites filling ingredients

    Scoop the cheese mixture and form it into balls.

    jalapeño popper bites formed into balls and placed in a pan

    Place the jalapeno popper bites on a parchment covered baking sheet or pan. Place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.

    breading ingredients in a bowl

    While waiting, prepare the jalapeno popper bites coating. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, plain bread crumbs, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.

    Put the flour in a second wide, shallow bowl and beaten eggs in a third bowl.

    coating the jalapeño popper bite in flour

    Remove the jalapeño popper bites from the freezer and coat them in flour.

    coating the jalapeño popper bite in egg mixture

    Then, dip them in the beaten eggs.

    coating the jalapeño popper bites in breading

    Next, coat them with the bread crumbs mixture.

    coated jalapeño popper bites in the fryer basket

    Heat oil in a deep fryer (or large pot with a thermometer) to 375˚F.

    fried cheese balls in the fryer basket

    Working in batches, fry several jalapeños popper bites at once, for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.

    How do you reheat jalapeno poppers bites?

    Like most deep-fried food jalapeno poppers bites taste the best when they are freshly prepared but yes, they can be reheated. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to three months.

    Thaw frozen bites in the fridge overnight. Reheat the jalapeno popper bites in the oven at 375˚ for 5-8 minutes or warm them in the microwave on high for 15-20 seconds.

    jalapeño popper bites

    Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley.

    Can this jalapeno popper bites recipe be made ahead of time?

    Yes, you can make this jalapeno popper bites recipe in advance. Prepare the jalapeno popper bites but do not fry them. Place them in an airtight container the fridge overnight and then fry when ready.

    Or prepare the jalapeno popper bites without frying them and place them freezer until they have hardened. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frying.

    jalapeno popper bites in a bowl

    Want more appetizer recipes? Try these next:

    Make this loaded Nachos recipe to serve at your next party or surprise your family with sheet pan nachos dinner with all of their favorite toppings!

    This deep Fried Pickles recipe is a fun way to eat fair food at home! Serve the crispy fried pickles on a stick as an appetizer with dipping sauce.

    These kid-approved Mini Corn Dogs are hand dipped in a sweet, honey flavored cornmeal batter and deep fried until golden and crispy.

    Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites are SUPER EASY to make with no yeast and no waiting for the dough to rise. Just mix the dough, cut nuggets, dip in baking soda water and bake!

    a close up photo of a jalapeño popper bite with a bite taken out of it

    Fried Jalapeno Popper Bites

    Jalapeno Popper Bites are deep fried, melted cheese balls stuffed with diced jalapeños and bacon, coated in crispy breadcrumbs.
    4.50 from 116 votes
    ↑ Click stars to rate!
    Print Review SaveSaved! Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Additional Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 bites
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    Cutting Board Set
    Jalapeno Pepper Corer
    Pure Peanut Oil
    Deep Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz cream cheese softened
    • 2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
    • 3 jalapenos seeded and diced
    • ¼ cup chopped bacon
    • 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
    • ½ cup all purpose flour
    • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
    • ½ cup plain bread crumbs
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 eggs beaten
    • peanut oil or canola oil for frying

    Instructions

    • Mix together the cream cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, diced jalapenos, bacon bits, and sriracha sauce.
    • Scoop the mixture and form into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
    • Put the flour into one bowl and the beaten eggs in a second bowl.
    • In the third bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, plain bread crumbs, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
    • Heat oil in a deep fryer (or use a large pot with a thermometer) to 350˚F.
    • Remove cheese balls from the freezer. Dip in the flour mixture, then into the beaten eggs, and finally coat with the bread crumbs mixture.
    • Fry several bites at once for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.
    • Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

    Video

    Notes

    • Reheat in the oven at 375˚ for 5-8 minutes or in the microwave on high for 15-20 seconds.
    • Prepare ahead of time without frying. Store in the refrigerator overnight and remove when ready to fry. Or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frying.
    • Nutrition facts were calculated using three tablespoons of oil since most of it wasn’t absorbed. Your results may vary depending on your oil temperature, length of cooking time, and the fryer you use.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2bites | Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Author: Tonia Larson

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    About Tonia Larson

    Hi! I’m Tonia, the owner and recipe creator at The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 12+ years! My family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and delicious desserts include mouthwatering photos, dynamic videos, and step-by-step instructions to help you cook at home.

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    Comments

    1. Jennifer Wares says

      June 29, 2023 at 12:06 am

      5 stars
      Made these for a party, and everybody wanted the recipe. They turned out amazing, and very easy to make as well.

      Reply
      • Tonia Larson says

        June 29, 2023 at 10:05 am

        Fantastic! Thanks for stopping back to tell us!

        Reply
    2. Gena says

      May 18, 2023 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      Was really good, I’ll definitely save this recipe!

      Reply
    3. Mark M says

      May 3, 2023 at 4:53 am

      Hey I was wondering if anyone tried using pickled jalapeno instead of fresh? love the citrus and sour taste!

      Reply
    4. Tiffany Rowan says

      December 24, 2022 at 2:54 am

      4 stars
      This were easy to make and really tasty. I will make these again but instead of egg, I will try milk only. I ended up adding milk for the last half because the egg mixture wasn’t really coating the floured balls well. It turned out to just as good and easier.

      Reply
    5. Richard says

      August 24, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      Made this with cayenne peppers and habanero peppers, if you want a little more heat, change out the peppers.

      Reply
    6. Billie ramey says

      January 29, 2022 at 11:04 am

      Absolutely Delicious 😋

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 17, 2023 at 9:27 pm

        4 stars
        Not hot at all but delicious 😋. May I suggest you roast the jalapenos first. The flavor increases 10 fold and great heat. But limit roasted jalapenos to only 1 or 2. Very hot.

        Reply
    7. Amy` says

      December 11, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      Heyy…. just wondering if I could bake these instead of frying them? Nothing against frying, I just despise it is all. Haha!!

      Reply
    8. Shawna says

      June 7, 2021 at 6:55 pm

      These are so good! I made them again with cream cheese, sharp cheese, spinach, bacon, minced garlic and a chunk of pineapple.

      Reply
    9. Kimberly Skalyo says

      November 21, 2020 at 3:25 pm

      Can you also put these jalapeno poppers in an air fryer instead of frying them in oil?

      Reply
      • Tonia says

        November 21, 2020 at 3:30 pm

        Yes you could definitely make them in an air fryer!

        Reply
      • Robin says

        February 12, 2021 at 8:34 pm

        We did and they were amazing

        Reply
        • Hannah says

          July 7, 2021 at 1:20 pm

          What temperature and time in the airfryer?

          Reply
          • Lori says

            February 15, 2022 at 7:22 pm

            That’s what I was wondering! I want to make them for a party this weekend but not sure how hot or long in an air fryer!

            Reply
            • Tonia says

              February 18, 2022 at 2:19 pm

              I’ve never made them in the air fryer so I’m not sure. I would try preheating the air fryer to 375˚F, place several poppers in the basket, coat them with olive oil spray and cook for 5-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.

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    Tonia Larson and Brian LarsonHi, We are Brian and Tonia Larson! We hope you enjoy our family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and tasty desserts!
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