Jalapeno poppers are one of the best appetizers. They are cheesy, smoky, salty, and crunchy. They are perfect for watching the game, camping, or as party food.
These smoked jalapeno poppers are stuffed with cream, cheese & more cheese. The combination of melted cheese and crispy bacon is heavenly.
They can be tricky the first time you make them, so follow my five super simple steps for bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers.
Hungry Now? Jump Straight to the Smoked Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Jalapeno poppers are the perfect food for cookouts, game days, and gatherings. Adults and kids love them, and they are always the first thing to run out at our cookouts!
Who can resist cream cheese stuffed into juicy peppers and wrapped in crispy bacon? The smoker does a great job of adding a smoky flavor while ensuring the bacon is perfectly crisp.
Don’t have a smoker? Don’t worry; you can also do these on a grill. See my instructions for that further down.
Smoked Jalapeno Popper Ingredients
Jalapenos. We estimate three poppers per person. Cooking for five people? You’ll need 15 jalapenos peppers.
Seasonings. Use 4 tsp dried onion, 2 tsp garlic powder, two teaspoons smoked paprika, and 2 tsp meat church honey hog spice (optional). If you like the heat, add chili powder or red pepper flakes.
Bacon. You’ll need 15 slices of bacon. If you’re using small jalapenos peppers you may need to cut the bacon in half.
Cheese. You can use cream cheese or a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar. To mix the two, use 4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese and 4oz of cream cheese. Just cream cheese use 8 ounces of cream cheese
Toothpicks: Don’t forget the toothpicks; they hold everything together.
How Long to Smoke Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers?
Smoke the jalapeno peppers for 50-80 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the bacon is crispy. If you want extra crispy bacon, place the jalapeno poppers under the broiler.
How to Make Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Below are the six steps to making these delicious, smoky, cheesy flavor explosions!
1. What Temperature to Smoke Jalapeno Poppers At?
First, preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 260°F
2. How to Clean The Jalapenos Peppers
You must cut the jalapeno pepper in half long ways and remove the seeds. You can use a knife or spoon to do this. Plus, the bacon that he uses to wrap the poppers.
Note: Cut and seed the jalapenos under water. This reduces the spicy fumes hanging about in the kitchen.
3. Make Your Cream Cheese Mixture
Place the cream cheese (smoked cream cheese if you have it) and cheddar cheese in a bowl. We used 4 ounces of cream cheese and 4 ounces of or sharp cheddar cheese.
Then add the dried onions, garlic powder, smoked paprika and meat church honey hog spice.
4. Then Stuff Your Jalapenos and Wrap Them in a Slice of Bacon
Take a jalapeno half and fill it with the cream cheese mixture.
Then, you wrap the jalapeno in a slice of bacon, using a toothpick to keep the bacon in place.
5. Smoke The Jalapeno Poppers
Once the smoker has reached 260°F, place the trays of jalapeno poppers on the grill grates and rotate them every hour.
Leave them in the smoker for 50 -80 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the jalapeno pepper has softened. If you want them extra crispy, place them over your oven broiler for a few minutes.
6. Remove From The Smoker and Enjoy
After 60 minutes, the bacon was crispy, and the jalapenos were soft, so we removed them from the smoker.
Let the jalapeno poppers cool for a couple of minutes or you will have molten hot cheese dripping down your chin!
Need to Store and Reheat Leftover Jalapeno Poppers?
If you have leftover bacon wrapper poppers, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for four days.
They are best can be reheated in an air fryer or oven. This ensures the bacon stays crispy. Try to avoid using the microwave to reheat them.
What to Serve With Jalapeno Poppers?
It’s best to serve jalapeno poppers with an assortment of appetizers and sides.
Below are our favorites;
Tips for Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
See my hot tips for the best-smoked jalapeno poppers below!
- Make sure you wear grill gloves when handling the poppers. These little guys get hot! Plus, melted cheese can leave a nasty burn.
- If you want a milder taste, de-seed your peppers and let them soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- The bigger the pepper, the more spice it will contain. So choose your sizes depending on your taste.
- Make sure you remove the seeds if you don’t like hot, spicy food!
What Sort of Wood Do You Need For Smoked Jalapeno Poppers?
I find that apple or cherry wood works best for smoking jalapeno poppers. Both have a strong rich flavor that will give the poppers a dark color.
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Smoked Jalapeño Poppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 ounces cream cheese
- 250 grams your favorite cheese shredded cheddar cheese, blue cheese or goats cheese work really well
- 15 large jalapeño peppers
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 tsp dried onion
- 1 tsp honey
- 10 slices bacon halved widthwise
Instructions
Indirect Grilling
- Preheat your grill to 350°F
- Slice the thejalapeño long way you can remove all the seeds.
- Place the cream cheese, shredded cheese, dried onion, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili flakes (optional) in a bowl and mix.
- Stuff each half of the jalapeño full of your cheese mix. Once each jalapeño is stuffed, wrap in a strip of bacon and a toothpick (this is important otherwise your cheese will escape).
- Place the jalapeños on the grill away from the heat source, making sure you have a drip pan underneath. Lay the jalapeños straight on the grill plates or on a grilling rack or tray if you have one.
- You are looking to cook the jalapeños until the bacon has grilled to golden brown and crispy. This will take around 20 – 25 minutes.
- When serving be very careful, the cheese inside is extremely hot. If possible you are best to wait 5 minutes before eating to avoid mouth burns.
Smoking
- Preheat your smoker to 260°F following your smokers manufacturers instructions.
- Slice the thejalapeño long way you can remove all the seeds.
- Place the cream cheese, shredded cheese, dried onion, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili flakes (optional) in a bowl and mix.
- Stuff each half of the jalapeño full of your cheese mix. Once each jalapeño is stuffed, wrap in a strip of bacon and a toothpick (this is important otherwise your cheese will escape).
- Place the jalapeños on your smoker racks (with a drip pan underneath) and smoke for 50 – 80 minutes. Rotate the racks every 30 minutes
- You are looking for the bacon to be crispy and golden brown.
- When serving be very careful, the cheese inside is extremely hot. If possible you are best to wait 5 minutes before eating to avoid mouth burns.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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