The jalapeno popper dip is a great addition to any party or gathering. Made with fresh jalapenos, bacon and cream cheese, this hot gooey dip is sure to hit the spot. Serve it for the big game day or a game night and watch it disappear quickly.
When it comes to football games and game nights, that is one of my favorite appetizers to make and bring. It is ready in just over 30 minutes and will taste just like bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers. You can serve it with tortilla chips or thinly sliced pieces of toasted bread but regardless it is sure to be a hit at your next gathering. It is best with served piping hot and can easily be made in a crock pot however you will need a bit more time. This is the perfect dip for the Superbowl.
In this recipe
If you haven’t checked out my bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers then now is the perfect time! They are quite similar to them but don’t require all of that wrapping. The main ingredients are still the same.
Jalapeno peppers: these are the reason for the dip and can vary in heat levels. You will want to get ones that are heavy for their size and nice and firm.
Bacon: add a smokiness and texture to the dip.
Cream cheese: is the base of the dip and adds the richness needed to mellow any jalapenos so the dip isn’t too spicy.
Shredded cheese: while I use cheddar and Colby jack cheese, you can use any good cheese that is great for melting.

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Why do I cook the peppers with the bacon?
One of the issues that comes with making a dip with jalapenos is that when you have a lot of dairy products, they can completely hide the flavors of the other ingredients. By cooking the jalapenos first, the fat from the bacon helps bring out the heat and flavors of the jalapenos to mix into the dish. Also, the bacon adds some smokiness and texture to the dish that you wouldn’t otherwise get by using just fresh jalapenos.

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How spicy is this dip?
That will vary based on the fresh jalapenos that you choose. However, you will not know until you cut them open. There are some ways to mitigate this if you would like a spicier dip. When cooking the jalapenos if you add a serrano pepper you can greatly increase the heat level in the dip. By using sour cream, heavy cream, and cream cheese this will help temper the heat of the dish. One thing to keep in mind is that after it is baked in the oven it will be spicier than when you just mixed in the peppers and bacon. So, if you try it before baking don’t add more until afterwards and slice jalapenos on top.

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How do I transport jalapeno popper dip?
There are a few ways that you can do this, however the first thing I would suggest is to mix all of the shredded cheese into the cream cheese mixture. It will look a little different at the end, however if the cheese on top were to cool, even when reheated the texture will be off and it will not melt as well either. I would also suggest putting it into a baking dish instead of keeping it in the pan. The higher the sides the longer it will take to cool down while in transit.

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Making jalapeno popper dip in a crock pot.
The other option is to make the jalapeno popper dip in a crock pot. The easiest way to do this would be to add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream to the crock pot and heat on high and stir occasionally. While that is cooking prepare the bacon and jalapenos. Once the bacon is nice and crispy and the jalapenos are cooked add them to the cream cheese and mix. Cook until smooth and reduce to warm until ready to serve.

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Looking for other Superbowl recipes?

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Easy Jalapeño Popper Dip
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan
- Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
- Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon diced
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups Colby Jack cheese shredded
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 jalapeño peppers fresh, diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, 177°C, or gas mark 4.
- In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat add the bacon and cook for 3 minutes. Add the jalapenos and cook until the bacon is crisp, about 7-10 minutes. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon remove the bacon and jalapenos from the pan and reserve ¼ for later.½ pound bacon, 3 jalapeño peppers
- Drain the bacon grease return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to medium low, add the cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream. Stir until the cream cheese is about melted.16 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup sour cream
- Add the bacon and jalapeno mixture saving the ¼ cup for later, add 2 cups of the shredded cheese, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix until combined. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 ½ cups Colby Jack cheese
- Bake for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Top with the reserved bacon and jalapeno mixture.
- For additional heat add some sliced fresh jalapenos.
Nutrition

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