Prepare yourself for spicy, salty, crispy, creamy deliciousness that will flood your brain with feel-good chemicals and leave you with greasy fingers.
The humble jalapeño stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon…so simple, so darn good. I make these a few times a year: for the neighborhood Halloween potluck, the Fourth of July, and here and there for cookouts or football games. Without fail, my platter full of peppers is picked clean or close to it by the time I pull these babies from the oven or grill and make my way to the party. “Are those your bacon wrapped peppers? Oooo, can I sneak one? Wait, let me get another one.”
“Can’t stop. Won’t stop.” -T.P.
Allow me to get personal for a minute. If you are someone looking to lock it down with a gentleman friend who isn’t averse to pork products, this is your ticket to happily ever after or whatever it is you’re angling for. Don’t get me wrong, the ladies like these too. But in my experience there is something special, magical even, that happens when man meets bacon. Wrap a piece around a fresh jalapeño stuffed with cheese and you’ve gone next level.
Before we dig in, a little public service announcement: if you love your eyeballs, skin and tender parts everywhere, wear food service gloves while prepping your peppers. You’re welcome.
I’m giving you the basic recipe. Here is what you have to decide – how much bacon and what kind of cheese. I use center cut bacon for its size and fat content which is still fatty but slightly less so than regular. For the peppers pictured here which are all about 3 inches long, I used 1/2 piece of center cut bacon per pepper and was able to completely wrap them. You can cut the bacon into thirds and wrap each pepper just around the middle and secure it with a toothpick. If you have large peppers you can use an entire slice. The choice is yours. As you can see the bacon shrinks significantly during cooking.
There is nothing wrong with going straight up cream cheese every time and I usually do. Otherwise, mix a bit of shredded cheese into the softened cream cheese before stuffing. Uncle Bubba mixes in some muenster and parmesan which is delicious. I’ve tried cheddar and monterey jack. Some cheeses tend to ooze out of their little pepper packages so keep the ratio cream cheese-heavy.
I bake these in the oven or on my wood pellet grill (yum) at 375º for about 35 minutes. The peppers get nice and soft in plenty of time; it’s the bacon crisping up that you are watching for in the final minutes.
I hope you enjoy these as much as everyone in my life does. Let me know if they help you make a new friend. And if you haven’t already, SUBSCRIBE!
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños
Prepare yourself for spicy, salty, crispy, creamy deliciousness with this 3-ingredient crowd pleaser. You'll be the most popular person at the party.
Ingredients
- 12 jalapeños, stemmed, cut in half lengthwise and seeded -Look for similarly sized peppers
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 12 slices center cut bacon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375º with the oven rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven safe baking rack inside.
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Remove stems from peppers. Slice in half lengthwise then remove seeds. Using a butter knife or spreader, completely fill each jalapeño half with softened cream cheese but do not mound.
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Wrap the cheese stuffed peppers with bacon and transfer to baking sheet. (See note.)
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Put the prepared peppers in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and beginning to crisp. Transfer peppers to a paper towel lined plate. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Depending on the size of the peppers and how bacon-y you want your bites to be, use anywhere from 1/3 to a whole piece of center cut bacon to wrap each pepper half. If using a shorter piece you may need to secure the bacon with a toothpick.
If you do not have an oven safe baking rack you can put the wrapped peppers directly on a foil lined baking sheet.
I highly HIGHLY recommend wearing food service gloves while prepping the jalapeños.
These are great baked in the oven and even better on my wood pellet grill which lends an extra smoky flavor.
***If you have a severe gluten allergy or sensitivity or otherwise are serious about eliminating gluten from your diet, always check your labels carefully and buy certified gluten free products.
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