Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
These smoked bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers are cooked low and slow at 250°F so the bacon fully renders and the peppers turn tender without burning. Filled with a creamy, cheesy mixture and wrapped in bacon, they’re an easy smoker appetizer that’s perfect for game day, cookouts, or backyard BBQs.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 224.76kcal
Equipment
- Pellet Smoker
Ingredients
- 5 fresh jalapeños cut in half, seeds and membranes removed
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 slices bacon cut in half crosswise (10 shorter strips)
- Toothpicks as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
- Slice each jalapeño in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and membranes. Leave a bit of the membrane if you want more heat.5 fresh jalapeños
- In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese and spices until smooth and well combined.4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Spoon or pipe the cheese mixture into each jalapeño half, keeping it below the top edge so it doesn’t spill out as it cooks.
- Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a half slice of bacon, starting at one end and spiraling it around the pepper. Secure with a toothpick if needed.5 slices bacon, Toothpicks
- Arrange the poppers on the smoker grates, bacon seam side down. Smoke for 60–75 minutes, until the bacon is rendered and starting to crisp and the jalapeños are tender.
- Let cool for a few minutes then serve warm.
Notes
- You can assemble the jalapeño poppers up to 24 hours in advance. Store them uncovered or loosely covered in the fridge, then smoke straight from the fridge. You may need to add 5–10 extra minutes of cook time.
- If your bacon is rendered but not quite crisp, you can finish the poppers at 350–375°F for 3–5 minutes in the oven or on a hot grill. This step is optional and depends on your smoker.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat at 350°F in the oven or air fryer for 5–10 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 224.76kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.49g | Protein: 7.09g | Fat: 20.46g | Saturated Fat: 9.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.92g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 48.73mg | Sodium: 408.11mg | Potassium: 131.96mg | Fiber: 0.57g | Sugar: 1.51g | Vitamin A: 675.93IU | Vitamin C: 16.66mg | Calcium: 106.88mg | Iron: 0.26mg
