Jalapeño poppers are a bite sized appetizer that becomes very popular during football season. But it’s the same ole same ole recipe. Ours is different. These poppers are stuffed with a garlic & chive herbed cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and brushed in a melted butter and honey glaze.
I love jalapeño poppers and as most of you know I love eating them as a game-day snack while watching football. I’ve made them so many times I had to change things up. My latest jalapeño popper creation included stuffing them with Buffalo chicken – amazing!
However, my son is obsessed with anything meat so he likes his poppers wrapped in bacon. The word boring popped in my head so, again, I had to change things up. For starters, these poppers don’t have the usual cream cheese mixture. I decided to add some garlic and chives to give it an herby garlic flavor.
The real secret though is what they are brushed in. Right before baking they are brushed with melted butter that has honey drizzled in. This adds such a yummy unexpected flavor to the poppers.
Boring they are not.
What You’ll Need:
- Jalapeños – Obviously! I grab about 10-12 at a time. That’s enough to feed a crowd (or me and my son)
- Filling – softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and some fresh chives.
- Bacon – this is optional, especially if you prefer not to eat processed cured meats.
- Melted Butter and Honey – this is what takes these poppers from boring to more please!
How to Make Garlic and Chive Poppers:
Full printable instructions below
- Begin by washing the peppers and slicing them in half lengthwise. Lay a small paring knife horizontally and trim the rib down as much as possible and rinse out the seeds. It’s a good idea to wear gloves and avoid touching your face or eyes.
- Mix the cream cheese filling together and spoon enough filling to fill the pepper but not mound it.
- Wrap each pepper in bacon.
- Brush with the melted butter and honey.
- Bake and enjoy!
Baking poppers instead of deep frying them means they will come out of the oven soft and tender vs. crunchy and crisp. If you are wondering what goes with Jalapeno poppers, you can certainly serve them with a few dipping sauces. People seem to like blue cheese or Ranch dressing. I’m sure adding a little of that melted butter and honey won’t hurt either.
If it were me, I like to keep things easy on game day and make things way ahead of time. Spinach and Artichoke Cheesy Bread can be made hours ahead and then baked. And so can our Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs!
Make Ahead and Storage:
- Make Ahead: Jalapeno poppers can be made a few hours ahead of time either separately and then filled or the entire baking sheet can be wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in the refrigerator.
- Freezer Safe: They can also be made ahead of time and frozen in an airtight container. Great way to satisfy a quick popper craving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. To reheat, place them in a skillet, covered with a lid, over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
GARLIC AND CHIVE JALAPENO POPPERS
Like this recipe? Pin it to your Game Day Recipes board!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook and Pinterest!
Print
GARLIC AND CHIVE JALAPENO POPPERS
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 Poppers 1x
Description
These jalapeño poppers are anything but mundane and boring. The filling has a wonderful garlic and chive herbed cheese. They are wrapped in smoky salty bacon and then brushed with a melted honey butter for the ultimate game-day snack.
Ingredients
- 12 Jalapeno peppers
- 8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper, ground
- Bacon slices (optional) see note
- 2 Tbsp. Fresh chives, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Honey
- 1 Tbsp. Melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Slice the jalapenos in halves, longwise, and remove their seeds and rib.
- Mix the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and fresh chives in a bowl.
- Fill each jalapeno popper with the cream cheese mixture to the surface without exceeding. Then, wrap each one of them with a slice of bacon (optional).
- Mix the melted butter with the honey and brush over the jalapenos.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is golden brown and jalapenos have softened.
NOTE: These can be made without the bacon and breaded instead. Simply place some Panko or breadcrumbs on a plate and turn the popper cheese side down and press into the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet and continue with Step 5 and 6 above.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
These were delish. I am a popper person too and I was intriqued with the addition of the honey. They didn’t disappoint.
★★★★★