Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (Air Fryer)
These Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (Air Fryer) are a cheesy-good (not fried) appetizer made from The Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook!
Friends, just in time for summer entertaining (or tailgate season coming up!), I really think you’re going to love these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers made in the Air Fryer. You may also want to try this NEW How to make Air Fryer Falafel recipe, or these Cheesy Baked Jalapeno Poppers. Another one of my all-time favorite appetizers is this Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms recipe, for all you mushroom fans!
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (Air Fryer)
They are made in my friend, Skinnytaste’s, new air fryer, so they are not fried the “traditional” way.
My friend, Gina Homolka, who blogs over at Skinnytaste.com – came out with an air fryer cookbook, featuring 75 quick and easy recipes that deliver on Skinnytaste’s signature “light on calories, big on flavor” promise. We just made two of her recipes this week. I have to say, I’m hooked on the air fryer! Oh, and by the way, I bet this Buttermilk-Marinated Air Fryer Whole Roasted Chicken is the most popular air fryer recipe out there right now. So quick and easy!
Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Remember this is a “lighter” less-calorie recipe!
- Jalapeño peppers
- Cream cheese
- Shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- Chives, or scallions
- Center-cut bacon
Why we love poppers
Why do I love to host so much? People aren’t looking for a perfectly hosted dinner party, they are simply craving a place at the table. A few moments to feel seen and heard and loved, start with inviting people over for a simple appetizer.
Make this Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers recipe and serve with a glass of wine!
Everyone is happy when they see what the appetizer is!
Set out dips like Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, or your favorite sauce (for those who love sauce!)
What is an air fryer?
If you’re not familiar with an air fryer, it uses high-powered, super hot, circulating air like a convection oven, which crisps up your favorite “fried” foods with barely any oil needed.
Cook times are shorter than traditional oven methods, and the process requires little clean-up.
Perfect for summer hosting!
Why use an air fryer
I resisted buying an air fryer for quite some time, because I really didn’t want another gadget or cooking appliance taking up space in my kitchen. My thought was, What can the air fryer do that I can’t do with my oven? I’ll admit, I was skeptical.
The air fryer is a healthy alternative for cooking your food, using little to no oil.
The first recipe I tested was this Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (Air Fryer), from Gina’s cookbook, Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook!
The recipe came out perfectly crispy and cooked—without having to turn our oven on. I was amazed.
How to make Bacon Wrapped Poppers in the air fryer
- Wearing rubber gloves, halve the jalapeños lengthwise to make 12 pieces, Scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, and scallions. Using a small soon or spatula, fill the jalapeños with the cream cheese filling. Wrap a bacon strip around each pepper and secure with a toothpick.
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 F.
- Working in batches, place the stuffed peppers in a single layer in the air dryer basket. Cook for about 12 minutes, until the peppers are tender, the bacon is browned and crisp, and the cheese is melted. (For a toaster oven-style air fryer, cook at 300 F; the timing remains the same:)
Serve warm them warm!
Start with an appetizer, and keep it short and sweet. It’s a great way to get to know new people in your life!
More air fryer recipes to try:
Air Fryer English Muffin Pepperoni Pizza
Get the Recipe:
Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 6 large jalapeños
- 4 oz 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
- ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- ⅛ cup fine cut chives, or 2 scallions, green tops only sliced
- 6 slices center-cut bacon, halved
Instructions
- Wearing rubber gloves, halve the jalapeños lengthwise to make 12 pieces, Scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, and scallions. Using a small soon or spatula, fill the jalapeños with the cream cheese filling. Wrap a bacon strip around each pepper and secure with a toothpick.
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 F.
- Working in batches, place the stuffed peppers in a single layer in the air dryer basket. Cook for about 12 minutes, until the peppers are tender, the bacon is browned and crisp, and the cheese is melted. (For a toaster oven-style air fryer, cook at 300 F; the timing remains the same:)
- Serve warm!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
These were so easy to make and tasted amazing. It was a hit at our holiday party.
I resisted getting one, too, and regret waiting so long! Air fryers are amazing. As are these poppers! We just made them for lunch and they were so fun and easy to make.
Oh my! These were amazing! I’m glad you reminded me to wear rubber gloves; I didn’t last time, and ouch!
Jalepeno poppers are one of my favorite appetizers, but I hadn’t made them in the air fryer – until now! These turned out perfectly, and I loved the addition of bacon. That made them even more tasty and irresistible!
These poppers were so crispy and good, the perfect combination between salty and creamy!
We used the jalapeños from our garden. It was our first year growing those, so we only had 3. We halved them and place a chunk of cream cheese, cheese, and piece of bacon on top. Cooked em as you recommended. They were amazing!! Thank you!
I made these tonight to take to a Labor Day get together with some neighbors. Everyone who thought they couldn’t eat anything this spicy was so surprised. Needless to say there were none left on the plate.
I didn’t have bacon so substituted prochuto. Delicious
I recently bought my air fryer and was looking for some good recipes and ended up trying these poppers. They were so easy to make and were loved my husband and made our evening beautiful and healthy. Thanks Sandy!
Wow these look good! I just made a batch of jalapeno poppers in the air fryer. I didn’t think about bacon; I cooked some pork sausage and added it in the filling. Definitely gonna try the bacon wrap next time
Delicious! I made this lactose free. I used lactose free cheddar and instead of cream cheese, paprika and black pepper chevin. Soooo tasty.
I used whole peppers with a small slit cut in them. Love the addition of the chives. Using the whole pepper helps keep the cheese inside. I used low fat cream cheese and shredded Mexican style cheese (the one that has several cheeses in one bag).
Made this tonight and it was amazing! My husband wants me to make more next time!