Jalapeño Popper Dip is a hot and creamy appetizer loaded with fresh jalapeños, crispy bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, and melted cheddar cheese. The jalapeños are sautéed in bacon fat with fresh garlic before everything is mixed together and baked until hot and bubbly.
I like making this dip when we have people over because I can put one hot, cheesy appetizer in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in. It has all the flavors of jalapeño poppers without having to stuff and cook individual peppers.
Why I Love This Dip
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Six slices of chopped bacon add smoky flavor and a crispy bite throughout the dip. The rendered bacon fat is also used to cook the jalapeños and garlic.
- Fresh Jalapeños: Four fresh jalapeños give this dip its signature flavor and heat. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder dip, or leave some in if you prefer more heat.
- Garlic: Two cloves of fresh minced garlic are cooked with the jalapeños for extra savory flavor.
- Cream Cheese: You’ll need 16 ounces of softened cream cheese for the rich, creamy base. Softening it first makes everything much easier to combine.
- Mayonnaise: A half cup of mayonnaise adds richness and helps give the baked dip a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Sour Cream: A half cup balances the richness of the cream cheese and mayo with a little tang.
- Worcestershire Sauce: One tablespoon adds savory depth to the cheese mixture without overpowering the jalapeño and bacon flavors.
- Seasonings: Black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder add extra flavor throughout the creamy base.
- Cheddar Cheese: You’ll need 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese for plenty of cheesy flavor. I prefer shredding it from a block because it melts more smoothly.
- For Serving: Tortilla chips are perfect for scooping up the warm dip. Sliced green onions or fresh cilantro can be added as an optional garnish before serving. 🌶️🥓🧀
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make Jalapeno Popper Dip
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon. Cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet with the bacon fat, add the diced jalapenos. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Fold in the sautéed jalapenos and garlic, ½ of the crispy bacon, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer the dip mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and reserved bacon on top.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. Garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping. Enjoy!
Tips I Found Helpful
- Cook the bacon until crisp so it keeps some texture after the dip is baked.
- Save the rendered bacon fat and use it to sauté the jalapeños and garlic. It adds another layer of smoky flavor.
- Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature before mixing. This makes it much easier to create a smooth, creamy dip.
- After sautéing the jalapeños, let them cool for a few minutes before stirring them into the cream cheese mixture.
- Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise together first, then add the remaining ingredients. This helps prevent lumps of cream cheese.
- Reserve some of the bacon and cheddar for the top so you get plenty of cheesy, crispy goodness in every scoop.
- Bake just until the dip is hot and bubbling around the edges. Overbaking can cause the creamy base to become oily or separate.
- Let the dip sit for about 5 minutes after baking. It will thicken slightly and be easier to scoop. 🌶️🥓🧀
FAQs about Jalapeno Popper Dip
More Dips I Love
Jalapeno Popper Dip
Yield:
10
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Jalapeño Popper Dip is a hot and creamy appetizer loaded with fresh jalapeños, crispy bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and melted cheddar cheese. Everything bakes together until hot and bubbly for an easy party dip with all the flavors of classic jalapeño poppers.
5.0 Stars (1 Review)
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon, chopped
- 4 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Tortilla chips, for serving
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon. Cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet with the bacon fat, add the diced jalapenos. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Fold in the sautéed jalapenos and garlic, ½ of the crispy bacon, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer the dip mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and reserved bacon on top.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. Garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook the bacon until crisp and reserve the bacon fat for sautéing the jalapeños and garlic. Soften the cream cheese before mixing for a smooth, creamy dip. Let the sautéed jalapeños cool slightly before adding them to the cream cheese mixture. Reserve some of the bacon and cheddar for the top, and bake just until the dip is hot and bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
