This smoked jalapeno poppers recipe is the ultimate party food with bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers stuffed with loads of melty cheese and seasonings, then smoked for the most outstanding flavor. These will be your new favorite poppers!
It's time for more jalapeno poppers in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends! Yes! It's always time for poppers. Jalapeno poppers are the ultimate party food, great appetizers for just about any gathering, no matter what time of year.
We're making them a bit differently this time around, and I think you are going to love these. Fire up your smoker, my friends. Today we're serving up Smoked Jalapeno Poppers, and they are addictive!
These are bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers stuffed with seasoned cream cheese then smoked at mid level heat until the bacon becomes just the right amount of crispy.
I can't get enough of these.
Let's talk about how we make smoked jalapeno poppers, shall we?
Smoked Jalapeno Popper Ingredients
- Jalapenos. You'll need 8 jalapeno peppers for this recipe, though it is easy to scale up.
- Cheese. I am using 8 ounces cream cheese, or you can use a combination of 4 ounces cream cheese + 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese. I make them both ways.
- Seasonings. Use 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and black pepper to taste. Also use spicy red pepper flakes for some optional heat.
- Bacon. Use 16 slices bacon, or use 8 slices cut in half for smaller poppers.
How to Make Smoked Jalapeno Poppers - the Recipe Method
Fire Up the Smoker. Heat your smoker to 300 degrees F.
Core the Jalapenos. Slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides with a spoon or a paring knife.
Mix the Stuffing. Add the cream cheese (+ cheddar cheese, if using), smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and red chili flakes to a bowl and mix well.
Stuff the Peppers. Fill each jalapeno pepper half with the spicy softened cream cheese mixture. You might have some leftover, depending on the size of your peppers. Just distribute evenly.
Wrap them in Bacon. Wrap each stuffed jalapeno boat with a slice of bacon. Pierce with toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
NOTE: You can use half a bacon slice with smaller peppers, and as a calorie saver.
Smoke the Poppers. Sprinkle the poppers with extra smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and smoke them for 60-80 minutes, or until the peppers soften and the bacon is starting to crisp.
You can blast them with the broiler a couple of minutes at the end if you need to.
Serve Them Up! Remove from heat, cool slightly, and serve.
Boom! Done! What do you think? They look amazing, don't they? I can eat these all day long!
Serve them up and make everyone love you. You, my friend, are the hero of the day.
Recipe Tips & Notes
The Seasonings. I love to use a good quality smoked paprika for this recipe.
Try to avoid some of the cheaper stuff you get at most grocery stores. Buy This Smoked Paprika Online from Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!) for a brand I recently purchased. Outstanding paprika.
You can also add in some cayenne for additional heat. Chili powder is a nice addition as well.
The Smoke.I like to get my smoke going right away by adding a couple handfuls of wood chips to the smoker first.
Once they start to smoke, I add the poppers to the smoker and hit them with smoke right off the bat. Then, I do two more rounds of smoke part way through cooking.
You can do only 1 round of smoking to a less pronounced smoky flavor. I used hickory chips today, but use your favorite wood.
For Spicier Jalapeno Poppers. Once you core out the seeds and ribs, you can chop up the spicy innards and incorporate them into the cheese mixture.
This way you will get more of that spicy heat with your jalapeno poppers! I do this all the time.
Cooking Times. Cooking Times can vary, depending on your temperatures and bacon.
Just keep an eye on it and check after 45 minutes. If the bacon crisps up enough to your tastes, the poppers are probably done.
The cheeses should be nice and soft, and the peppers themselves softened up.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your smoked jalapeno poppers. Great recipe! Perfect for game day. Let me know if you make them. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Baked Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
- Grilled Jalapeno Poppers
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Four Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers with Shredded Chicken and Cheese
- Pimento Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Wrapped Armadillo Eggs
- Check out all of my Jalapeno Popper Recipes
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- BBQ Chicken Wings
- Smoked Pulled Pork
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
These bacon wrapped smoked jalapeno poppers are the ultimate party food, stuffed with cheese, then smoked for the most outstanding flavor. Get the recipe!
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: game day, jalapenos, party food, poppers, recipe, spicy
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Calories: 143kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 16 poppers
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 22 votes
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Ingredients
- 8 jalapeno peppers
- 8 ounces cream cheese or use 4 ounces cream cheese + 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Spicy red pepper flakes optional
- 16 slices bacon or use 8 slices cut in half for smaller poppers
Instructions
Heat your smoker to 300 degrees F.
Slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides with a spoon.
Add the cream cheese (+ cheddar cheese, if using), smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and red chili flakes to a bowl and mix well.
Fill each jalapeno pepper half with the spicy cheese mixture. You might have some leftover, depending on the size of your peppers. Just distribute evenly.
Wrap each stuffed jalapeno boat with a slice of bacon. Pierce with toothpicks to hold the bacon in place. NOTE: You can use half a bacon slice with smaller peppers, and as a calorie saver.
Sprinkle the poppers with extra smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and smoke them for 60-80 minutes, or until the peppers soften and the bacon is starting to crisp. You can blast them with the broiler a couple of minutes at the end if you need to.
Remove from heat, cool slightly, and serve.
Notes
I like to get my smoke going right away by adding a couple handfuls of wood chips to the smoker first. Once they start to smoke, I add the poppers to the smoker and hit them with smoke right off the bat. Then, I do two more rounds of smoke part way through cooking. You can do only 1 round of smoking to a less pronounced smoky flavor. I used hickory chips today, but use your favorite wood.
Cooking Times can vary, depending on your temperatures and bacon. Just keep an eye on it and check after 45 minutes. If the bacon crisps up enough to your tastes, the poppers are probably done. The cheeses should be nice and soft, and the peppers themselves softened up.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 192mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 336IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.
