Jalapeño popper dip is one of my go-to party appetizers! It’s a rich and creamy cream cheese-based dip with spicy jalapenos mixed in with a crunchy Ritz cracker topping! Easy and delicious recipe with a little spicy kick at the end!
Easy Jalapeño Popper Dip
If your family is anything like mine, then they simply can’t get enough of any recipe that calls for cream cheese or jalapeños. This creamy and spicy combo is always a fan favorite!
This jalapeno dip is one of our tried and true appetizers. It is great for a tailgate, holiday dinner or just as an easy appetizer! My friends and family go nuts for this stuff, they especially love the little kick of spice at the end! And I love it because it’s super simple to make!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Only 10 minutes prep and 10 minutes baking time!
- Ready in under 20 minutes!
- We love the crunchy Ritz cracker topping.
- Easy to make ahead of time and then pop in the oven just before serving.
Ingredients for Jalapeño Popper Dip
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Jalapeños
- Cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Bacon
- Green onion
- Panko bread crumbs
- Butter
- Fresh parsley
Variations / Options / Add-In’s
Jalapeños: You can use fresh or canned jalapeños in this recipe. You can also choose to use add the jalapeños in fresh or roast them. This decision is really up to you and your preference!
Sour cream: I have seen recipes that replace the sour cream with greek yogurt and it turns out just as good every time!
Bacon: The bacon in this recipe is totally optional! I love the addition of bacon. It gives the recipe a nice crunch and some extra flavor. If you’re not a bacon fan, you can definitely leave this out!
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How to Make Jalapeño Popper Dip
- Mix together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
- Stir in the bacon, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese and green onion.
- Spread over the prepared dish.
- Combine the bread crumbs with the butter and parsley.
- Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake fo 20 minutes or until hot and bread topping is golden brown.
Tips
- When cutting up and pitting your jalapeños, BE CAREFUL. Don’t forget to wear gloves, and be cautious of touching anything else during this time. When working with fresh jalapeños, they will be very strong and if you touch anything else during this time, it will become extremely spicy, as the inside and seeds are the spiciest part. Especially be careful with touching your face!
- You can make this dip ahead of time so it’s ready to go for whatever occasion you might need it for! Sometimes, if I know I’ll be rushed before a gathering, I will put this together the day before and store it in the fridge. Then, as I’m getting ready for a party or whatnot, I pop this in the oven to cook. It makes it so simple!
- If you choose to make it ahead of time, leave off the topping layer until just before you plan to bake the recipe. Just store it in a separate container and sprinkle it over the top right before placing it in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jalapeño poppers are a delicious crunchy and cream cheese filled appetizer snack. Typically, they consist of jalapeños that have been hollowed out and filled with a cream cheese mixture. Sometimes the cream cheese will be mixed with cheddar cheese and spices.
The stuffed jalapeño is then wrapped in bacon and grilled or breaded and fried. It makes for a crunchy, cheesy, spicy and creamy snack. But, as you can imagine it can be a hassle to make these, with lots of steps involved. Making jalapeño poppers in dip form is much easier!
This dip goes well with so many sides, which is one of my favorite things about it. Many times, I’ll simply pair it with whatever I have in the pantry or fridge at home! Here are some of my favorite pairings:
– Tortilla chips
– Crackers (I usually use Ritz crackers or Wheat Thins)
– Veggies (It’s really good with carrot sticks, celery, or cucumbers)
– Pretzels (I love this with pretzel thins!)
– Bagel chips
– Bread bites
Other Easy Appetizer Recipes
Rotel Dip | Blooming Quesadilla Ring | Easy Guacamole | Pull-Apart Pizza Bread | Sticky Sesame Cauliflower | Philly Cheesesteak Sliders | Caprese Skewers | Crack Dip | Mini Cheese Ball Bites | Cheese Sticks | Million Dollar Dip | Mexican Street Corn Dip | Spinach Artichoke Dip
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.
- Stir in the bacon, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and green onion.
- Spread into prepared dish.
- Combine the bread crumbs with the butter and parsley. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake 20 minutes or until hot and bread topping is golden brown.
Jenn’s Notes
- This must be served HOT or it will lose its creamy texture.
- When cutting up and pitting your jalapeños, BE CAREFUL. Don’t forget to wear gloves, and be cautious of touching anything else during this time. When working with fresh jalapeños, they will be very strong and if you touch anything else during this time, it will become extremely spicy, as the inside and seeds are the spiciest part. Especially be careful with touching your face!
- You can make this dip ahead of time so it’s ready to go for whatever occasion you might need it for! Sometimes, if I know I’ll be rushed before a gathering, I will put this together the day before and store it in the fridge. Then, as I’m getting ready for a party or whatnot, I pop this in the oven to cook. It makes it so simple!
- If you choose to make it ahead of time, leave off the topping layer until just before you plan to bake the recipe. Just store it in a separate container and sprinkle it over the top right before placing it in the oven.
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!