Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

Air fryer jalapeno poppers will hit the spot when you're craving something crunchy and flavorful! These bite-sized snacks are the perfect combination of cheesy, spicy, and crispy.

Even better, you can customize them with your favorite cheese and filling ingredients.

I mean, come on...who doesn't love a good jalapeno popper dipped in a side of healthy ranch dressing?

Crunchy, creamy, and spicy all at the same time - they're pretty irresistible. And they're not just bar food anymore thanks to the handy-dandy sensation that is the air fryer.

Deep frying food smells up the house the scent lingers for days. But we make awesome appetizers like buffalo chicken egg rolls and jalapeño poppers in the air fryer, it uses less oil and there's no smell factor to deal with after all the goodness is gone!

So let's make jalapeno poppers the easy way, which happens to be a little bit healthier. Woo hoo!

No air fryer? No problem! You can still make these with my baked jalapeno poppers!

These bites of deliciousness are perfect for a game day snack and a great appetizer for a Friday night at home!

How an air fryer works

An air fryer can be a countertop appliance, or can be part of your existing electric stove. Basically, it works by circulating hot air around the food as it cooks.

As a result, food cooks taster and gets a nice, crispy outside like fried foods.

And while we could just stick with air fryer bacon and call it a day, I think we deserve to go the extra mile today, don't you?

Ingredients

This easy appetizer recipe only has six ingredients! Can you say game changer?

• jalapeno peppers
• cream cheese
• Monterey Jack cheese - this adds a bit of heat to the peppers. I recommend using block cheese and shredding it yourself so it melts smoothly. Plus, you burn a few calories, so it’s a win-win.
• garlic powder and onion powder
• thin bacon - any kind of bacon is fine to use, just make sure you use a thinly sliced bacon, not thick sliced. I mean, you don't have to look for thin bacon. Just the regular stuff. The thicker sliced bacon will take much longer to cook through and doesn’t work well with this recipe.

How to make poppers in the air fryer

Here's how to make these tasty treats!

Lightly grease the basket of your air fryer basket with cooking spray.

Cut the bacon pieces in half and set aside.

Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and white inside membrane. Remember that the heat from the peppers live here.

If you like lots of spice you can leave a few seeds in, but you should probably warn your guests.

Either way, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling the peppers. And don't wipe your eyes!! Ask me how I know, wink wink.

Make the popper stuffing: Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt until it's smooth.

Stir well until the mixture is creamy.

Spread the cream cheese mixture into all of the jalapeño halves.

Wrap with a half slice of bacon.

Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overlapping. You may have to work in batches.

The cheese will get a light golden brown as it cooks and the bacon will wrap those jalapeno halves in a crispy, salty hug!!

Tips

• Depending on the size of your air fryer , you may need to cook these in several batches
• For best results, use thin slices bacon, not thick bacon so it can crisp up as it cooks

Variations

If you prefer a spicier version, pepper jack will give you some spice action. Cheddar cheese works, too.

Play around with different types of bacon. Turkey bacon would likely work thought it may cook faster.

What to serve with jalapeno poppers

These are great served alongside some sour cream garnished with green onions or a side of healthy ranch dressing as a dipping sauce.

More amazing air fryer recipes

If spicy recipes are your jam, try these sausage balls with cream cheese or a jalapeno popper cheese ball.

If you make these air fryer jalapeño peppers, leave a recipe rating or comment below.