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Jalapeño popper dip gives me everything I like about a jalapeno popper, but in something I can scoop. Hot and bubbly, creamy and cheesy underneath, smoky bacon, and a crisp buttery panko top. Eat it while it is hot.
I make jalapeño popper dip for game days, and it has ended up on the table at holiday parties too. Most of the work is done before anybody shows up. Nothing about serving it is fussy.
One thing I will never skip is the panko topping. Without it, this is one more soft pan of cheese; with it, every scoop comes up with a little crunch on top.
If you are putting out more than one, my spinach artichoke dip is the other warm, cheesy one I make, and the two go on the table together.
PARTY FAVORITE
How I Get This Dip Ready Before Anybody Shows Up
I put the whole filling together ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The panko mixture stays in its own container until the dip is about to go in the oven, because crumbs sitting on it lose their crunch. All I do when people get here is sprinkle and bake.
The Ingredients That Matter Most
- Cream cheese: Use the full 8-ounce blocks and take them out of the refrigerator well before you start. Cold cream cheese will not beat smooth, and you end up with little lumps of it through the finished dip.
- Jarred jalapeños: Jarred is what I make this with, chopped. There is some heat, but I would not call it overwhelmingly spicy. I have not made it with fresh, so I cannot tell you how the heat would come out.
- Panko bread crumbs: The topping is panko tossed with melted butter and parsley, not cracker crumbs. Ritz go on the side of this one, for dipping.
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Dip
Step 1: Heat the Oven and Prep the Dish Get the oven heating and give your baking dish a coat of nonstick spray.
Step 2: Beat the Base Until It Is Smooth Beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream together until there is not a lump left in the bowl.
Step 3: Stir In the Bacon, Cheese and Jalapeños Stir the bacon, jalapeños, cheddar, parmesan and green onion through the smooth base, then spread it out flat in the dish.
Step 4: Add the Topping and Bake Toss the panko with the melted butter and parsley, sprinkle it over the top, and bake until the dip is hot and the topping is golden brown.
Get It Ready Ahead
I put the whole filling together ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The panko mixture stays in a separate container and only goes on right before it bakes, so it stays crispy.
Storage
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. Reheat it in the oven until it is hot through, because this dip is at its creamiest hot.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
Jalapeño Popper Dip
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounces packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces jarred jalapenos chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 4-5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup green onion
Topping:
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Prepare an 8×8 dish or 2 1/2 quart casserole by spraying with nonstick spray.
- In a medium-size bowl with a mixer on medium mix together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.2 8 ounces packages cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream
- Stir in the bacon, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and green onion.4 ounces jarred jalapenos, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 4-5 slices bacon, ¼ cup green onion
- Spread into prepared dish.
- Combine the bread crumbs with the butter and parsley. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.½ cup Panko bread crumbs, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- Bake 20 minutes or until hot and bread topping is golden brown.
Jenn’s Notes
- Beat the cream cheese and sour cream completely smooth before you add anything else, or you will get lumps of cream cheese through the dip.
- Serve it hot. This is at its creamiest right out of the oven.
- Making it ahead? Keep the panko mixture separate and sprinkle it on right before baking so it stays crispy.
I’m assuming you can substitute the amount of Panko crumbs with Ritz cracker crumbs. Not sure why you talk about loving Ritz and then use Panko in your recipe.
Sorry, this was from an old version of the recipe. It should be fixed now!
Can you substitute Ritz crackers for the panko. In your description for the topping you stated. Ritz cracker topping
Delicious! I was a little nervous making something for the first time and taking it somewhere without trying it first. But OMG, this was amazing and a hit at the party I took it to! Thank you!