Loaded with all the classic flavors you love in a jalapeno popper, my easy Jalapeno Popper Dip recipe is creamy, spicy, cheesy, and topped off with bacon! 

Made all in one skillet, it's easy to put together and even easier to clean up after. Perfect for serving as an appetizer for a game day party or as a fun family meal on a movie night!

Jalapeno Popper Dip with Bacon

Okay, I have to admit: growing up in a house full of girls, we weren't the biggest fans of football. It wasn't until I started my first "real job" that I became a fan of the game, when my coworkers started inviting me to games and I went only because I wanted to be closer to my work family. 

It didn't take long before I was hooked, and it wasn't just because of the game: it also had to do with the football food. There is nothing more fun than coming up with new tailgating foods to dish out for the game, and one of my favorites has always been jalapeno poppers. 

After my husband Don and I got married, we started watching the games at home together; at least one game every Sunday. When our daughter, Madison, came along, she joined right in on the fun: as a matter of fact, I remember watching a play-off game just 2 days after she was born. Our team won and we got to go home with our beautiful new baby, too!

Needless to say, I got into the habit of making all my favorite tailgating food at home, and that's where this jalapeno popper dip with bacon comes in. Y'all, I love this dip. It has to be one of my favorite football foods of all time, but to tell you the truth, I make it way more often than that! Any time we're craving a fun summer lunch, this is a go-to for me. You just can't beat the creamy, cheesy flavor of a jalapeno popper in dip form. It's the best with salty tortilla chips or ritz crackers!

Jalapeno Dip with Cream Cheese Ingredients

• Thick cut bacon: Thick-cut bacon is where it's at for this recipe. You'll be frying your jalapenos in some of the bacon fat, and let me tell you, the taste is like nothing else.
• Jalapeno peppers: Fresh jalapeno peppers are what you need for this recipe. You want to dice them finely. If you want to make a kid-friendly version without any heat, you could use green bell peppers instead.
• Cream cheese: You're adding the cream cheese right to the skillet, so you don't have to worry about softening it first. However, softened cream cheese will melt more easily. I like to use block cream cheese. It's easier than spooning it out of a container.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: You can use shredded sharp cheddar cheese or your favorite blend of cheeses. A blend with shredded mozzarella cheese would work, too.
• Tomatoes or salsa: You can use freshly diced tomatoes or your favorite salsa.
• Cilantro (optional): I like topping off my jalapeno dip with a little cilantro, but if you aren't a fan, you can leave it out. Other toppings work great, too, like sour cream or sliced green onions.

Anyone who knows me knows one of my all-time favorite flavor combos is everything you get in jalapeño poppers! I find any excuse to come up with new ways to feature jalapeno poppers, and have made everything from Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs and Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs to Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms.

And now, of course, this tasty dip that comes together quickly in a skillet! It's the perfect party appetizer. You won't need to bake it, just broil it for a few minutes. It's too easy!

How to Make Jalapeno Popper Dip

1. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat on the stove. Cast iron works best. Add bacon slices to the skillet and cook until they just start to crisp up.
   
   
   
2. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain all but 1 Tablespoon of the bacon fat.
   
   
   
3. Saute jalapenos in the bacon fat for 30 seconds until they start to soften. Add cream cheese and stir to combine with the jalapenos.
   
   
   
   
   
4. The bacon should be cool enough to handle now, so crumble it. Set 1 Tablespoon of crumbled bacon aside, and add the rest to the cream cheese mixture in the skillet. Mix to combine.
   
5. Evenly spread shredded cheese over the cream cheese mixture. Place the skillet under the oven broiler until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Leave the door ajar and watch it closely, or it will burn!
   
6. When the cheese is browned to your liking, remove the skillet from the oven and garnish with freshly sliced tomatoes, additional diced jalapenos, bacon crumbles, and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips and I guarantee you have a new favorite appetizer!

Easy Jalapeno Popper Dip Tips

• A cast iron skillet works best for this recipe and looks gorgeous for serving, but any oven-safe skillet is fine.
• Even if it's technically not a jalapeno popper dip without the jalapenos, you can swap them out for green bell peppers if you want to cut out the spice completely for kids or sensitive stomachs. I don't find it particularly spicy thanks to the cream cheese, however.
• You could make this recipe in a small baking dish too, if you prefer, but you'll need leftover bacon to crumble and you'll have to soften the cream cheese first so it spreads easily. It is way more flavorful in a skillet with the addition of bacon fat. But, if you want to bake it, do so at 375℉ and bake for about 25 minutes so the cheese browns.

Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip FAQ

Can you freeze jalapeno popper dip?

• You can freeze jalapeno popper dip by transferring it to a freezer-safe baking dish after it cools. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and label with the freezing date, and store for up to 3 months. For best results, I highly recommend storing it in a baking dish you can transfer from the freezer to the oven. That way, you can bake it to reheat it: 375℉ for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Otherwise, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet or in 30 second intervals in the microwave.

Can you make jalapeno popper dip ahead of time?

• Jalapeno popper dip is easy to make ahead of time either by refrigerating it or freezing it. You can prepare the whole dish about 3-4 days ahead of time and it will keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you want to top it off with fresh toppings, make sure not to add those until you're ready to serve the dish.

More Easy Dip Recipes with Cream Cheese

• Hot Corn Dip Recipe
• Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip with Cream Cheese
• Skillet Jambalaya Dip
• Go here for all of my Easy Dip Recipes with Cream Cheese

 

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jalapeno popper dip

appetizer, snack

American

Yield: 6

Author: Life Tastes Good

Skillet Jalapeno Popper Dip

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Try our irresistible Skillet Jalapeno Popper Dip: Creamy, Spicy, and Topped with Fresh Tomatoes, Jalapenos, and Cilantro. Perfect with Crunchy Chips! Easy recipe for game day or family movie night.

Ingredients

• 2 slices thick cut bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup jalapenos, finely diced
• 8 ounce cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite blend)
• Freshly diced tomatoes or salsa
• Diced jalapenos
• Freshly chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat an 8" oven safe skillet over medium heat and cook bacon to just starting to crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet.
2. Saute 1/4 cup finely diced jalapenos in the bacon fat for about 30 seconds until they just start to soften. Add the 8 ounce package of cream cheese to the skillet. Stir to combine with the jalapenos. Mix in most of the crumbled bacon, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish.
3. Spread 1 cup shredded cheese over top of the cream cheese mixture, and place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remember to leave the oven door ajar when broiling and watch it closely! It will burn quickly.
4. When the cheese is lightly browned to your liking, remove it from the oven and garnish with freshly sliced tomatoes or salsa, diced jalapenos, the reserved bacon crumbles and some freshly chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Cast Iron Skillet: The recipe calls for using an 8" cast iron skillet, which works best for this dish. However, any oven-safe skillet can be used as an alternative.
2. If you soften the cream cheese by taking it out of the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before making the dip, it will melt easier.
3. Broiling the Dip: Be sure to keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

265.79

Fat (grams)

24.23 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

12.86 g

Carbs (grams)

4.14 g

Fiber (grams)

0.47 g

Net carbs

3.66 g

Sugar (grams)

2.44 g

Protein (grams)

8.51 g

Sodium (milligrams)

322.93 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

64.93 mg

Nutrition label disclaimer: Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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