Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe

This easy Jalapeño Popper Dip combines fresh jalapeños, crispy bacon, cream cheese, cheddar, and pepper jack with a buttery Ritz cracker topping. Baked until hot, bubbly, and golden brown, it's the perfect cheesy appetizer for game day, parties, and entertaining.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy, easy, jalapeno popper dip, party food, spicy

Servings Servings

Calories 216kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

8 oz. Cream Cheese softened
1 cup Sour Cream
6-8 medium Jalapenos seeded and diced
4 Green Onions sliced thin
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese reserve 1/4 cup for topping
1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese reserve 1/4 cup for topping
1 package Cooked Bacon crumbled
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 sleeve Ritz Crackers crushed

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven or smoker to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or similar-sized baking dish.
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream until mostly smooth. Add the diced jalapeños, green onions, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Add the cheese and bacon: Reserve 1/4 cup each of the cheddar and pepper jack cheese for the topping. Add the remaining cheese and most of the crumbled bacon to the cream cheese mixture, reserving a small amount of bacon for garnish. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
Fill the baking dish: Spread the jalapeño popper mixture evenly into the prepared cast iron skillet or baking dish.
Make the cracker topping: Crush the Ritz crackers into coarse crumbs. Combine the cracker crumbs with the reserved cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dip.
Bake or Smoke: Bake or smoke at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbling around the edges and the cracker topping is lightly golden.
Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with the reserved bacon, sliced green onions, and fresh jalapeño slices. Serve warm with crackers, tortilla chips, toasted bread, or vegetables.

Notes

Cream cheese: Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature so it incorporates easily with the sour cream.
Bacon: A standard 12-ounce package works well here. If using a larger package, you can reserve the extra bacon for garnish.
Make ahead: Assemble the dip without the cracker topping, cover, and refrigerate. Add the Ritz and cheese topping just before baking.

Nutrition