Looking for an easy appetizer? Try these Spicy Sweet Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers! Ready in under 20 minutes, these crispy small bites are stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and jalapeño jelly.
I received an Air Fryer as a gift from my wife about one year ago. Since then, I have lived in Air Fryer Mania! I’ve been air frying everything from Buffalo Wings and Sweet Potato Fries to French Toast Sticks and Onion Rings.
What is an air fryer?
An Air Fryer is a small kitchen appliance that easily fits on your counter top. It uses rapidly moving hot air to cook your food. This quickly moving air, paired with the metal basket, gives your food a crispy outside and an evenly cooked inside. You can get the results you may expect in a dish traditionally fried in oil, but with the Air Fryer, you are using very little or no oil at all!
A spicy sweet appetizer you’re going to love!
One of my favorite appetizers of all times is Jalapeño Poppers. It was only a matter of time before I decided to make them in my Air Fryer. Jalapeño Poppers are such a great appetizer because they are easy to make, easy to eat, and easy to share. They are perfect for a party or a gathering. Guests can just grab one and go if they’d like. There are also tons of different dipping sauces that you can pair with this easy appetizer including Ranch, Blue Cheese, Cilantro Lime, and more!
For my Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers, I wanted to try something a little different. In addition to the common ingredients of cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon, I also wanted to try something new. I absolutely love Jalapeño Jelly, that wonderful spicy sweet combination just can’t be beat. My idea was to put a slather of Jalapeño Jelly in with the cream cheese mixture inside the of the popper.
This is a super quick step to add to your already easy appetizer recipe and really gives these Jalapeño Poppers an interesting twist.
Serve these at your next party with friends and family! Or, better yet, make them as a special treat and keep them all to yourself!
Ingredients
- 8-10 jalapeños
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- bacon, 2-3 slices cooked extra crispy and crumbled
- Jalapeño Jelly, to taste
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Cut the jalapeños in half and scrape out the insides, especially the seeds.
- Mix the cream cheese, bacon, and cheddar cheese together.
- Using a butter knife, spread the jalapeño jelly on the inside of the pepper. I use about 1 tbsp per pepper, but you can adjust to your taste.
- Mix the flour, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Dip the poppers in egg, then in the flour, then back in the egg, and finally in the Panko Bread Crumbs.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 375ºF.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the outside is golden and crispy.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Serve with a side of ranch, blue cheese, or cilantro lime vinaigrette.

We hope you enjoy these Spicy Sweet Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers from SoFabFood Home Chef, Joseph from Father and Us. If you love this recipe, be sure to visit our Appetizer Section for more like it. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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