Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Dip: A Must-Have Appetizer For Any Party

If you're looking for a comforting, crowd-pleasing appetizer to serve at your next gathering, you can't go wrong with this cheesy jalapeño popper dip. Brought to us by recipe developer Catherine Brookes, this gloriously gooey creation is packed with flavorful spicy and savory ingredients. It's wonderfully indulgent, with a good kick of heat, and you can have it ready to serve in just 35 minutes.

The base of this dip consists of cream cheese and sour cream, which give it a wonderful creamy richness and texture. The addition of cheddar cheese provides melty sharpness, whilst garlic and onion powders bring a dose of aromatic goodness, and bacon amps up the smoky, salty flavor. Then, of course, we have the fresh jalapeño peppers. These provide just the right amount of spice, which is balanced perfectly by the creaminess of the other ingredients. Once everything has been mixed together and baked until golden and bubbling, the resulting dip tastes just like a deconstructed jalapeño popper, simply coming in a heartier, more shareable format.

To make this cheesy jalapeño popper dip, you'll first need to cook and chop some strips of bacon. Then, you'll combine this with cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, shredded cheddar cheese, and finely diced jalapeños before baking everything in the oven. You also have the option to garnish the finished dip with some fresh chopped chives.

Add the bacon to a cold frying pan and place over medium-low heat.

Cook slowly until the fat starts to melt down, then increase the heat to medium and continue cooking for a few minutes on each side until crispy.

Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels.

Roughly chop the bacon into small pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

To a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 ½ cups of the cheddar, about ¾ of the jalapenos, ¾ of the bacon, and some salt and pepper.

Mix thoroughly to combine.

Transfer the mixture into an 8-inch round oven dish and spread out into a smooth, even layer.

Top with the remaining cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and chopped bacon.

Bake for 25 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Garnish with fresh chopped chives if desired, and serve with your favorite dippers.

This is the kind of dish that's made for sharing. It looks incredibly tempting when laid out with a selection of your favorite dippers, so prepare for it to disappear pretty rapidly! The classic dip accompaniments work fantastically here, such as crudités (we love a selection of carrot, cucumber, and celery sticks), crackers, and tortilla chips. Pretzels and breadsticks make great choices, too. If you fancy something a little more substantial, try serving the dip with slices of a crusty garlic bread, which would complement the gooey cheesiness amazingly. Or, for a lighter option, slice up some apples and dunk these in.

If you're following this appetizer with a main course, there are plenty of delicious options to consider. Lighter protein sources like grilled chicken breast, oven-baked tilapia, or pan-fried shrimp would all work beautifully, perhaps along with a side of steamed greens like asparagus, broccoli, and green beans. Drinks-wise, a crisp white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay would be a natural pairing. Or, to keep things alcohol-free, go for a fresh and fruity sparkling juice, such as apple or elderflower.

Fans of traditional jalapeño poppers will know that each spicy bite typically features a crispy breadcrumb topping. We like to keep things smooth and gooey for a more classic dip-like texture here, but you can absolutely incorporate a crispier top if desired. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is with panko breadcrumbs. First, toss the breadcrumbs with some melted butter or olive oil. Incorporating a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and some fresh herbs is also a great shout. Then, when mixing up the dip ingredients, don't reserve a portion of the shredded cheddar, bacon, and jalapeños. Just combine everything together before transferring it to the baking dish. The breadcrumbs will now serve as your topping instead. Bake as normal, until the top is lovely and golden, and serve warm for the ultimate gooey-crispy contrast.

If you don't have panko breadcrumbs on hand, another option is to finely crush up some Ritz crackers. You can combine these with butter and Parmesan in the same way as the breadcrumbs before scattering them on top of the dip and baking to perfection. Leaving some slightly chunkier pieces of cracker can be a nice touch texture and presentation-wise too.