Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites

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Full of cheese, bacon and jalapeños, this appetizer is everyone’s favorite. These Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites are crispy and cooked to perfection. They taste amazing and will be perfect at any of your get-togethers or just for a fun snack. 

Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Bites in a stainless bowl

Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites

I love spicy foods but not too spicy, you know? These have just the right amount of spice; it’s got a good kick but not so hot that it burns your mouth. To me, that’s perfection. When you cook jalapeños they lose some of the spice so they aren’t as hot as when they’re fresh. If this recipe is still a bit too hot for you, you can omit the cayenne pepper. 

If you love the flavor of jalapeño poppers you’ll have to also try our Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese, Creamy Jalapeño Popper Dip, and our Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers.

Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Bite with a bite taken out

Ingredients You Will Need:

Here’s the list of everything you’ll need to make these jalapeño poppers. 

  • Cheese: We will use two types of cheeses: mozzarella and cheddar.
  • Bacon: Cooked and crumbled into small pieces.
  • Jalapeños: Diced. (You can save time here if you’d like, by getting a jar of diced jalapeños.) 
  • Eggs: set out to room temperature.
  • Flour: All-purpose.
  • Garlic: Minced.
  • Panko bread crumbs: This is the coating of the cheeseballs.
  • Cornstarch: This helps get the crispy, golden brown crust.
  • Seasonings: Paprika, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper
  • Cooking Spray

How To Make Jalapeño Popper Bites

  • Mix the cheeses with the bacon, jalapeños and garlic.
  • Scoop out balls of the cheese mixture onto a cookie sheet. To keep them even and make the process go much quicker, use a small cookie scoop to do this.
  • Freeze the cheese balls for an hour. They are much easier to work with when they’re more firm.
  • Make the coating in a bowl by stirring together the flour, cornstarch and all the seasonings.
  • Prep two other bowls for dredging, one with eggs and one with Panko.
  • Coat the cheese balls first in the flour mixture, then in the egg, then in Panko. Place them back in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  • Cook in the Air Fryer on 340°F for 7 minutes and let them cool for 5. Continue until you’ve cooked all of the cheese balls.
  • You can eat these solo or with a dipping sauce like ranch, blue cheese or one of our yummy, homemade Fry Sauces.
Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Bites in a stainless steel bowl

Can I Use A Different Type of Cheese?

The cream cheese for this recipe is non-negotiable, BUT, the cheddar cheese can be substituted. You could get some extra spice by using Pepper Jack instead or you could use whatever shredded cheese you’ve got in the fridge.

Can I Save The Leftovers?

These unfortunately do not save well so give yourself permission to just eat them all. If you have a bit of time before you want to serve them, you can keep them in the oven on warm for a bit.

Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Bites

Other Air Fryer Recipes You Will Love

jalapeno popper bite with a bite taken out
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites

Full of cheese, bacon and jalapeños, this appetizer is everyone's favorite. These Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites are crispy and cooked to perfection.
Servings: 18
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Freeze time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 medium jalapeños seeds removed, diced
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup corn-starch
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Add your shredded cheese, cream cheese, jalapeños, bacon, and garlic to a large bowl.
  • Mix well.
  • Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop 18 portions. Roll them into balls. Place them on a cookie sheet or other hard surface.
  • Place them in the freezer for 1 hour.
  • While in the freezer, add to a small bowl your eggs. Whisk. Set aside.
  • Add your flour, corn-starch, salt and pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in another small bowl. Whisk. Set aside.
  • In your last small bowl, add your panko. Set aside.
  • Remove your bites from the freezer.
  • Coat one bite in the flour mixture, then egg, then panko.
  • Add to the freezer for another 20 minutes.
  • Spray your air fryer with cooking spray. Place in your air fryer. Spray your bites with more cooking spray.
  • Cook at 340°F for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Repeat steps 11-12 until all bites have been cooked in your air fryer depending on the size of your fryer. Keep any bites in the freezer until ready to cook them.
  • Remove and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Enjoy as-is or with dipping sauce like ranch or blue cheese.

Last Step:

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Equipment

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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