These Jalapeño Poppers are the perfect bite-sized party appetizer that can be made in an air fryer! They are crispy, cheesy, and have just the right amount of jalapeño in each bite.
One of our favorite family traditions is Finger Food Fridays, where we make an assortment of appetizers and handheld foods and watch a movie. These jalapeño poppers are the perfect addition to our arsenal of finger foods and they are devoured in no time. Not only are these great for a fun dinner night, but they also work for parties! This recipe makes about two dozen poppers, so there is enough for everyone.
How to Make Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
To begin, you will need to seed and dice the jalapeños. I highly recommend wearing gloves while working with the jalapeños. If you do not have gloves, make sure you wash your hands extremely well after and do not touch your face (I learned the hard way)! The fastest way I have found to dice the jalapeños is to cut it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Slice the jalapeño into strips, stack them, and then dice.
Next, add your diced jalapeños, softened cream cheese, and shredded cheese to a large bowl. Mix until fully combined, ensuring that the jalapeños are evenly mixed in. You can also use a mixer, which will only take about 20 seconds to mix.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or with a reusable baking mat. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the mixture, form into a ball, and place on the lined baking sheet. Once you have formed all of the mixture into balls, place the baking sheet into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Dredging Station
While the baking sheet is in the freezer, set up your dredging station. You will need three medium bowls.
Bowl 1 – flour
Bowl 2 – eggs and water, whisked together
Bowl 3 – panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, mixed together
To dredge the jalapeño balls, start by fully coating them in the flour (Bowl 1). Next, cover them in the egg mixture (Bowl 2). Then coat them in the seasoned breadcrumbs (Bowl 3). To prevent the cheese from melting out while in the air fryer, coat the balls again in egg (Bowl 2) and again in the seasoned breadcrumbs (Bowl 3). So the order will be 1, 2, 3, 2, 3.
Since it does take some time to coat all of the jalapeño balls, I like to only take a few out of the freezer at a time.
Once you have coated the jalapeño poppers, place them in the air fryer and spray them with cooking spray. Cook at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Make sure you do not overcook them or else the cheese could melt out. You may need to work in batches if you can not fit all of the jalapeños in your air fryer. I like to cook half in the first batch and half in the second batch.
Substitutions and Variations
Cheese – I typically use pepper jack cheese, but you can use any shredded cheese that you would like! Some other good options are mozzarella, cheddar, or Monterey jack.
Cream Cheese – You can use either cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese (1/3 less fat).
Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 4 medium jalapeños seeded and finely diced
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the diced jalapeños, cream cheese, and pepper jack cheese.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a ball. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Set out three bowls for the dredging station.
- In bowl one, add the flour.
- In bowl two, whisk together the eggs and water.
- In bowl three, combine the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dredge the cheesy jalapeño balls in the flour first, then the egg, and then the breadcrumb mixture. To help prevent the cheese from leaking out while frying, do another coat of the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the jalapeño poppers in the Air Fryer in a single layer leaving a little room between each one. Spray with cooking spray. You may need to cook in batches.
- Cook for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F or until golden brown. Make sure to not overcook or the cheese may leak out of the jalapeño poppers.
- Remove from the Air Fryer, repeat with the remaining poppers if needed, and enjoy!
Notes
- The Jalapeño Poppers can be refrigerated after they are cooked for up to three days.
- To reheat, cook in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @thecollinscookbook on Instagram.
