Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
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Make your own crispy and cheesy Jalapeno Poppers (from scratch) in the air fryer!
This family favorite recipe is perfect for any occasion—whether you’re serving them as an appetizer at a holiday party or as the ultimate game day snack, these Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are both impressive and incredibly easy to make!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Jalapeno poppers are incredibly versatile and perfect for any occasion, such as game day parties, fun holiday nibbles, and birthday party appetizers.
- Double the batch and freeze to have frozen jalapeno poppers ready to air fry any time.
- These make super flavorful appetizers that come together quickly and can be made ahead for stress-free entertaining.
- Everyone loves these, I serve them at Thanksgiving and they’re gone in minutes!
How To Make Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers:
Makes 10-12 jalapeno poppers
Ingredients for the Popper filling:
- 6 large jalapeño peppers
- 4 oz of cream cheese, room temp works best
- 1/2 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons of coarsely minced scallions (about one scallion, green and white parts)
- 1 tablespoon of powdered ranch seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
- pepper to taste (optional)
For the Panko Topping:
- 1/2 cup of seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Cut the jalapenos lengthwise, trying to keep the stem end intact–don’t cut the ends of the pepper off! Scoop out the seeds and the membrane, to make the peppers less spicy.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of cheddar, scallions, ranch, garlic powder, and pepper. Using a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon, mix the ingredients until well combined.
Use a small spoon to scoop up the cream cheese mixture and stuff each jalapeño half. Smooth out the top, so that the filling is level with the pepper.
Once all the peppers are stuffed, set aside and make the topping.
In a small bowl, combine the Panko, garlic powder, and salt.
Add the tablespoon of olive oil and give the mixture a toss to coat the crumbs. Next, add the cheddar cheese and give the topping a quick stir until the ingredients are well distributed.
Distribute the Panko mixture on top of all the peppers until no more is left in the bowl. Press the crumbs lightly into the cream cheese filling to make sure they stick really well. You can be generous with the topping!
Air Frying the Poppers:
To fry, spray the basket of your air fryer lightly with cooking spray. Gently add as many poppers as you can in a single layer. You may need to fry in batches.
Lightly spray the top of the poppers with cooking spray and fry at 360º for 5-8 minutes. The tops should be nice and brown, crisp, and the filling should be creamy.
Using a large spoon, gently remove the jalapeño poppers from the air fryer and transfer them to your serving dish.
Repeat the frying process until all the jalapeños have been air-fried! Allow the poppers to sit for a few minutes before eating.
Tip: If your freshly shredded cheddar has long pieces, simply run a knife through the shreds to shorten them for easier topping.
Tips For Making The Best Jalapeno Poppers
- Protect your hands: Wear gloves when cutting and seeding jalapeños to avoid irritation—and to prevent accidentally rubbing your eyes afterward.
- Keep the ends intact: Leave the stems and ends of the peppers on to keep the filling from leaking during cooking.
- Avoid overstuffing: Fill the peppers with cheese just to the top and level it off to prevent spillover as they cook.
- Add extra topping: A generous topping ensures a crisp, golden finish, as some will absorb into the cheese filling.
- Scoop carefully: Use a large spoon to remove the peppers from the air fryer to avoid spills.
- Cool before eating: Let the poppers rest for a couple of minutes on the serving platter to avoid burning yourself on the hot filling.
Serving your Air Fried Jalapeno Poppers
My favorite dipping sauce for these poppers is classic buttermilk ranch dip, it’s a perfect match!
These would also be tasty with blue cheese dressing, honey mustard, or a sweet BBQ sauce.
Serve these guys as a football snack, a holiday appetizer, or a side dish at a pizza party. These jalapeno poppers are perfect for any time you need party snacks…even if it’s just a party for one.
Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeno Poppers
The best part about this recipe is that it freezes BEAUTIFULLY. Meaning if you have an air fryer and frozen jalapeno poppers, you’re minutes away from a tasty snack.
To freeze, prepare the recipe as stated above, topping and all, but don’t cook them. Instead, line up the poppers in a freezer safe container and store them in the freezer.
They’ll keep frozen for up to a month.
When you’re ready to cook, spray the air fryer basket with a little cooking spray, and add the frozen jalapeno poppers to the air fryer-no need to thaw!
Spritz the tops of the poppers with a little cooking spray and cook the frozen poppers at 360º for 6-9 minutes. The topping will be crispy and brown and the cheese and jalapenos will be completely cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
FAQs
Can I Make These Jalapeno Poppers ahead?
Yes!
You can prepare the recipe fully, but instead of cooking, just store the poppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days!
When you’re ready to serve, pop the poppers in the air fryer and cook at 360º for 5-8 minutes.
For long term storage, you can freeze your jalapeno poppers! Instructions below.
What temperature Should I use for these Jalapeno Poppers?
While I was cooking these jalapeno poppers, I found setting my air fryer temp to 360º was the best way to get a creamy filling, nicely cooked peppers, and a crisp topping. This worked with both my frozen and fresh poppers.
If you prefer a crunchier pepper, set the air fryer to 390º. The topping and filling will cook quicker and the pepper will have a little more snap to it. Just note, this temp will only work for fresh poppers. Frying frozen jalapeno poppers will still need a lower temp to heat the filling through.
How Long Do You Cook Frozen Jalapeno Poppers In An Air Fryer?
When cooking frozen jalapeno poppers, I just add a minute to the cooking time–so about 6-9 minutes. The peppers come out perfectly browned, creamy, and cooked through!
For thawed or fresh jalapeno poppers, I air fry for about 5-8 minutes.
Variations
These jalapeno poppers are delish as is, but are adaptable enough for customization! Here are a few ideas:
- Add finely crumbled bacon and green onions to the topping and the filling.
- Crumbled Italian sausage, buffalo chicken, or taco meat would be super good in these, too.
- Swap out the ranch seasoning for some taco seasoning instead
- Add a couple dashes of hot sauce to the filling for extra heat, or spices like onion powder, cumin, or chili powder for extra flavor.
- Use Monterey Jack cheese with or instead of cheddar, or use your favorite Mexican blend of cheeses
- Reduced-fat cream cheese works well in this recipe, too–just don’t use nonfat.
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Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
For the jalapeno popper filling
- 6 large jalapeno peppers
- 4 oz of cream cheese room temp works best
- 1/2 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons of coarsely minced scallions about one scallion, green and white parts
- 1 tablespoon of powdered ranch seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Pepper to taste optional
For The Panko Topping
- 1/2 cup of seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese*
Instructions
- Cut the jalapenos lengthwise, trying to keep the stem end intact–don’t cut the ends of the pepper off! Scoop out the seeds and the membrane, to make the peppers less spicy.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of cheddar, scallions, ranch, garlic powder, and pepper. Using a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon, mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Use a small spoon to scoop up the filling and stuff inside of the pepper. Smooth out the top, so that the filling is level with the pepper.
- Once all the peppers are stuffed, set aside and make the topping.
- In a small bowl, combine the Panko, garlic powder, and salt.
- Add the tablespoon of olive oil and give the mixture a toss to coat the crumbs. Next, add the cheddar cheese and give the topping a quick mix until the ingredients are well distributed.
- Distribute the Panko mixture on top of all the stuffed peppers until no more is left in the bowl. Press the crumbs lightly into the cream cheese filling to make sure they stick really well. You can be generous with the topping!
- To fry, spray the basket of your air fryer lightly with cooking spray. Gently add as many poppers as you can in a single layer. You may need to fry in batches.
- Lightly spray the top of the poppers with cooking spray and fry at 360º for 5-8 minutes. The tops should be nice and brown, crisp, and the filling should be creamy.
- Using a large spoon, gently remove the jalapeno poppers from the air fryer and transfer them to your serving dish.
- Repeat the frying process until all the jalapeno poppers have been air fried! Allow the poppers to sit a few minutes before eating.
