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Craving some spicy, cheesy goodness? This single serving Jalapeño Poppers recipe is perfect for those moments when you want to indulge without making a huge batch. This recipe delivers the perfect blend of flavors and textures to satisfy your cravings. They’re oven-baked, loaded with cheese, and perfect for a snack or game night!
Looking for more? Explore our selection of small batch appetizer recipes, including flavorful Bruschetta, rich Loaded Deviled Eggs, creamy Hummus, and savory Queso. Perfect for any occasion!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What Are Jalepeño Poppers?
- Ingredients
- How To Make Jalapeño Poppers For One
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Prep and Store Your Single Serving Jalapeño Poppers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Explore More Small Batch and Single Serving Appetizers
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Jalapeño Poppers For One Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The perfect amount: This recipe is specifically designed for a single serving, which means you can treat yourself without having a bunch of leftovers.
- Quick and easy: The simple preparation ensures that you can enjoy a small batch of jalapeño poppers in no time.
- Simple oven-baked method: We bake the poppers, which is healthier than frying while still achieving a crispy outer crust and a melty, cheesy center.
- Recipe doubles well: This recipe yields 4 of the best jalapeño poppers. If you’d like to make more, just double the ingredient amounts.
What Are Jalepeño Poppers?
Jalapeño poppers are a popular appetizer made with jalapeño peppers that are typically stuffed with crispy bacon, a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, then topped with breadcrumbs and baked to perfection. These scrumptious bites deliver a delightful contrast between the spicy pepper and the smooth, creamy cheese filling. They make a fantastic addition to any appetizer spread or just as a spicy snack for yourself.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Jalapeno peppers: Use 2 jalapenos which are about 3 inches long or use 3 smaller jalapenos. When choosing jalapenos, look for firm, bright green peppers without any wrinkling or soft spots. Leftover jalapeños can be used in a Mexican Street Corn Salad, Taco Soup, or a Guacamole Salad.
- Bacon: Use 2 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon or use real bacon bits in this recipe. If you’ve got extra bacon, consider using it in Zuppa Toscana, Baked Beans, or Lentil Stew.
- Cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure a smooth filling. Any leftover cream cheese can be used in Crack Chicken or Oreo Balls!
- Cheese: Use a sharp cheddar for a more intense flavor, but feel free to swap it for your favorite cheese if you prefer. I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than purchasing bagged pre-shredded cheese. The cheese will melt better when freshly shredded. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives that help to keep the shreds of cheese from clumping in the bag. This means that the cheese doesn’t melt as well. Extra cheese can be added to an Egg Wrap or Vegetarian Enchiladas.
- Garlic powder: A small amount of garlic powder adds a wonderful flavor to the jalapeño popper filling.
- Butter: Use melted salted or unsalted butter to mix with the breadcrumbs to form a crispy topping for the poppers.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs provide the perfect amount of crunch to the jalapeño poppers. A traditional fried popper has a breaded coating that surrounds the pepper. Instead, since we’re baking our poppers, we make a simple Panko topping to sprinkle over the top. Extra breadcrumbs can be added to Chicken Nuggets or Broccoli Casserole. If you’d like to make low-carb or keto jalapeño poppers, leave off the breadcrumb topping
- Optional: Consider skipping the breadcrumb topping and wrap the poppers in bacon to make bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers! Just wrap each popper with a strip of bacon and make sure the bacon seam is on the bottom of the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until the bacon is browned.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
RELATED: How To Freeze Bacon
How To Make Jalapeño Poppers For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make jalapeño poppers. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cook the bacon and set it aside to cool. Alternatively, use 4 teaspoons of real bacon bits.
- Make the filling: In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder.
- Next, stir in the bacon pieces.
- Prepare the peppers: You can cut the stem off or leave it on. I like to cut the stem off. Next, slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and membranes. Place cut side up on a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Pro Tip: The spice in jalapeños is found in the seeds and inner membranes. To reduce this heat, clean out all of the light-colored membranes inside the peppers and the seeds. If you’d like a little bit of heat, leave a little bit of the membrane intact.
- Spoon the cheese/bacon mixture into each pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and Panko breadcrumbs. Spoon over the tops of each pepper and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. This small batch jalapeno poppers recipe comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to have everything ready before beginning.
- To avoid burning your hands while handling jalapeños, wear gloves or use a small spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.
- Purchase large jalapeños that are all the same size. Pick peppers that are all roughly the same size and avoid any that are wrinkly or dull.
- Feel free to leave some seeds in the peppers to make them spicier. This recipe instructs you to remove all of the seeds before filling them with the cheese mixture, but you can leave a few seeds in if you want your jalapeño poppers to be a bit spicier.
- Let the poppers cool for a few minutes before eating. Letting the poppers cool a bit allows the cheese in the filling to set which makes them easier to eat.
Serving Suggestions
For the perfect dip, consider pairing your jalapeño poppers with a side of chilled sour cream or your favorite homemade ranch dressing. These accompaniments balance out the heat and add a creamy texture to each bite.
How to Prep and Store Your Single Serving Jalapeño Poppers
Plan ahead or save some for later—here’s your quick guide to prepping and storing these single serving jalapeño poppers:
You can prepare the stuffed peppers up to a day ahead and keep them chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
Got leftovers? No worries. Store your baked jalapeño poppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare them up until the breading step, then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Yes. If you’d like to make “jalapeño poppers for two” or simply have extras to enjoy just double or triple the ingredient amounts.
Since I like my jalapeños to have a bit of crunch, I don’t pre-cook them. If you’d prefer soft jalapeños, you’ll need to parboil them for 2 minutes after removing the stems and seeds and before stuffing them.
Explore More Small Batch and Single Serving Appetizers
If you’re loving our small batch jalapeño poppers, don’t miss out on these other delectable small batch appetizers, perfect for satisfying your cravings without the excess.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried these bacon-filled jalapeño poppers or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Jalapeño Poppers For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled. Alternatively, use 4 teaspoons of real bacon bits.
- 2 jalapeño peppers , approximately 3 inches long or use 3 small jalapeños
- ½ tablespoon butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder.
- Next, stir in the cooked bacon pieces.
- Slice the stem off the jalapeño peppers. Next, slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and membranes. Place cut side up on a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.Pro Tip: The spice in jalapeños is found in the seeds and inner membranes. To reduce this heat, clean out all of the light-colored membranes inside the peppers and the seeds. If you'd like a little bit of heat, leave a little bit of the membrane intact.
- Spoon the cheese/bacon mixture into each pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and Panko breadcrumbs. Spoon over the tops of each pepper and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. This small batch jalapeno poppers recipe comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to have everything ready before beginning.
- To avoid burning your hands while handling jalapeños, wear gloves or use a small spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.
- Purchase large jalapeños that are all the same size. Pick peppers that are all roughly the same size and avoid any that are wrinkly or dull.
- Feel free to leave some seeds in the peppers to make them spicier. This recipe instructs you to remove all of the seeds before filling them with the cheese mixture, but you can leave a few seeds in if you want your jalapeño poppers to be a bit spicier.
- Let the poppers cool for a few minutes before eating. Letting the poppers cool a bit allows the cheese in the filling to set which makes them easier to eat.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Good recipe.