If you like jalapeño poppers, then you will love this air fryer jalapeño poppers recipe! Crunchy, salty, and full of spicy goodness, these dippable poppers are sure to become a new favorite air fryer side dish or appetizer for you!
Because these easy air fried jalapeño poppers are made with just a few common ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up this impressive side item in a moment’s notice. They are great served with a side of ranch dressing!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh jalapeños, sliced in half and deseeded
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Bacon, crumbled
- Pickled jalapenos, diced
- Red onion, diced
- Garlic salt
- Paprika
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Ranch dressing, to serve (optional)
How to make Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
I start by putting on a pair of disposable gloves and washing the peppers. Next, I slice them and de-seed them. (Too many bad past experiences with peppers and my eyes, folks! I’ve learned that gloves are a life saver!)
Next, I set out two separate bowls. In the first bowl, I combine the ingredients for the cream cheese filling (found in the recipe card below). In the second bowl, I add the Panko breadcrumbs with some garlic powder and paprika.
Next, still using my gloves, I fill each jalapeño with the cream cheese filling and sprinkle some Panko breadcrumbs on top.
Finally, I place 6-8 jalapeños in the basket of my trusty air fryer, careful not to overcrowd. Now, your basket may fit more than mine. But I can really only get 8 smaller halves and 6 smaller ones in mine.
The jalapeño peppers bake for 6-7 minutes at 380 degrees in the air fryer. I can tell by how brown the topping is. I like it to be a dark golden brown.
Since I work in batches, I place the cooked ones
on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Then, I move them to a preheated oven on 200 degrees to keep warm while working through the rest of the poppers in the air fryer. Total cooking time for 3 batches is 20-25 minutes usually.
Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers Frequently Asked Questions
Are Jalapeños good for you?
Jalapeños provide Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. They also carry carotene which helps with cell damage.
Can you make these air fried asparagus gluten-free?
Sure! Most jalapeño poppers are not gluten-free due to the breadcrumb breading. However, you can find gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs at most major grocery stores.
Can you make these cream cheese poppers spicier?
If you are a fan of all things spicy, you can leave some of the jalapeño seeds intact or you can add cayenne pepper to the seasoning blend. You can also add a few drops of tabasco sauce to the cream cheese mixture.
How to Serve and Store Air Fryer Cream Cheese Poppers
- Serve the air fryer jalapeño poppers hot with ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Storage: Poppers are best fresh, but could be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated prior to serving.
Air Fryer Cream Cheese Jalapeño Poppers
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 12 Jalapeños
- 2 cup Cheddar shredded
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Bacon crumbled
- ¼ cup Pickled jalapeños diced
- ¼ cup Red onion diced
- 1 tsp Garlic salt
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380°.
- Prep a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Using gloves, slice each jalapeno in half and deseed. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, bacon, pickled jalapeños, onion and about half of the garlic salt and half of the paprika. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
- In another smaller bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs with the remaining garlic salt and paprika. Stir to combine, set aside.
- Using a spoon, fill each jalapeño with the cheese filling and press into the jalapeño – again, gloves are highly recommended while continuing to handle the peppers. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the filled jalapeños with the Panko mixture.
- Place 6-8 filled peppers in the basket of the air fryer – leaving at least an inch between each popper. Work in batches if necessary.
- Cook in the air fryer at 380 degrees for 6-7 minutes.
- Remove the jalapeños from the basket and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven to keep warm while working through the rest of the poppers in the air fryer.
- Serve immediately with ranch as a dipping sauce, if desired.
Nutrition
More Air Fryer Recipes
Blueberry Mini Pies in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
Frozen Waffles in the Air Fryer
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