Stuffed Jalapeños

These easy Stuffed Jalapeños are filled with cream cheese, cheddar, green onions and lime, then topped with buttery toasted cracker crumbs and baked until hot and melty. Make them mild, medium or spicy for an easy appetizer everyone can enjoy.

These baked Stuffed Jalapeños have everything I want in an appetizer: creamy, cheesy filling, a little fresh lime and green onion, and a buttery toasted saltine topping for just the right amount of crunch. They’re easy to prepare and even easier to customize—remove the ribs and seeds for very little heat, or add some back to the filling if you like your jalapeños spicy. They’re a great choice for game day, parties, or anytime you need an appetizer that disappears quickly.

If you love jalapeño popper flavors, try my Jalapeño Popper Pigs in a Blanket too—they combine creamy jalapeño filling with little smokies wrapped in flaky crescent dough.

Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Jalapeños

Creamy, crunchy and easy to customize, these baked stuffed jalapeños have plenty of flavor whether you make them mild or bring on the heat.

• Easy baked appetizer – No frying required. Just fill the peppers, add the topping and bake.
• Creamy, cheesy filling – Cream cheese and cheddar make the filling rich and melty, with green onions, lime and chili powder adding plenty of flavor.
• Buttery crunchy topping – Toasted saltine crumbs add a light, savory crunch that makes these a little different from traditional jalapeño poppers.
• Choose your heat level – Make the whole batch mild, turn up the heat, or make some of each for a crowd.
• Great for entertaining – Prep the components ahead, then assemble and bake when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients for Stuffed Jalapeños

You only need a handful of ingredients for these stuffed jalapeños, with fresh peppers, two kinds of cheese and a buttery cracker topping doing most of the work.

• Jalapeño peppers – Choose fresh, firm, medium-size jalapeños. Removing the seeds and ribs keeps them milder; save some if you’d like to add heat back into the filling.
• Cream cheese – Creates the smooth, creamy base for the filling. Use regular full-fat cream cheese for the best texture.
• Cheddar cheese – Adds plenty of cheesy flavor and melts beautifully. Medium, sharp or mild cheddar all work.
• Green onions – Add fresh, mild onion flavor without overpowering the filling.
• Fresh lime juice – A little acidity brightens the rich cheese filling.
• Chili powder – Adds warm, savory flavor without making the filling overly spicy.
• Salt and black pepper – Season the filling and bring all the flavors together.
• Saltine crackers and butter – Crushed saltines toasted in melted butter make a simple, crisp topping with more flavor than plain breadcrumbs.
• Cilantro or parsley – An optional fresh garnish for serving.

How to Make Stuffed Jalapeños

These stuffed jalapeños come together in a few simple steps. Prepare the peppers and filling while the buttery cracker crumbs toast, then assemble and bake.

• Toast the cracker topping. Toss the crushed saltines with melted butter and toast in a skillet until lightly browned.
• Prepare the jalapeños. Slice each pepper lengthwise through the stem and remove the seeds and ribs. Save them until you’ve decided how spicy you’d like the filling.
• Make the cheese filling. Combine the cheddar, cream cheese, green onions, lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper until evenly mixed.
• Adjust the heat. For spicier stuffed jalapeños, finely chop some of the reserved ribs and seeds and stir them into the cheese mixture.
• Fill the peppers. Divide the cheese mixture evenly among the jalapeño halves and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Add the topping. Sprinkle the toasted saltine crumbs over the cheese filling.
• Bake and serve. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve warm.

How to Make Stuffed Jalapeños Mild or Spicy

Jalapeños can vary quite a bit in heat, but removing or adding back the ribs and seeds gives you more control over how spicy the finished appetizer will be.

• For mild stuffed jalapeños: Remove all of the seeds and ribs and don’t add any back to the filling. You’ll still get plenty of flavor from the green onions and chili powder.
• For medium heat: Finely chop about 2 tablespoons of the reserved ribs and seeds and stir them into the cheese filling.
• For spicy stuffed jalapeños: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of finely chopped ribs and seeds to the filling.
• For a mixed batch: Keep half of the filling mild, then add chopped ribs and seeds to the remaining filling. Mark the spicy peppers with a thin jalapeño slice on top so everyone knows which is which.

What Can You Stuff Jalapeños With?

Cream cheese is a classic base for stuffed jalapeños because its rich, creamy texture balances the peppers beautifully. From there, it’s easy to change the filling with different cheeses and savory additions.

• Different cheeses – Swap some or all of the cheddar for Monterey Jack or pepper Jack.
• Bacon – Add cooked, crumbled bacon to the cheese mixture for a smoky, savory variation.
• Sausage – Cooked and crumbled breakfast or Italian sausage can turn them into a heartier appetizer.
• Fresh herbs – Cilantro works especially well with the lime in this recipe, while parsley gives you a milder option.
• Extra heat – Pepper Jack, additional chili powder, or some of the finely chopped jalapeño ribs and seeds can make the filling spicier.

Make Ahead and Storage

Stuffed jalapeños are a convenient appetizer to prep ahead, especially when you’re making them for a party or game day.

• Make ahead: Prepare the cheese filling and refrigerate it in an airtight container up to one day ahead. The jalapeños can also be sliced and cleaned a day ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator.
• Before baking: Fill the peppers and add the toasted cracker topping shortly before they go into the oven for the best texture.
• Store leftovers: Refrigerate leftover stuffed jalapeños in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm them in a 350°F oven or air fryer until heated through. This will help the topping crisp up again better than the microwave.

More Appetizer Recipes to Try

Planning a party or looking for another crowd-pleasing appetizer? These are some of my most popular appetizer recipes and longtime reader favorites.

• Salt and Vinegar Chicken Wings – Crispy baked chicken wings with plenty of tangy salt-and-vinegar flavor. Serve them with my homemade garlic aioli for dipping.
• Queso Blanco Dip – A smooth, creamy white cheese dip that’s easy to make and perfect for serving warm with tortilla chips.
• Char Siu Pork – Tender, flavor-packed Chinese BBQ pork that’s delicious sliced into bite-size pieces and served as an appetizer.
• The Best Artichoke Dip – A creamy, cheesy baked artichoke dip that’s been one of my favorite party appetizers for years.

These Stuffed Jalapeños are one of those appetizers that hit all the right notes—creamy and cheesy inside, lightly crisp on top, with as much or as little heat as you like. The buttery saltine topping is my favorite part and gives them a little something different from the usual jalapeño popper. Serve them warm from the oven for game day, holidays or your next get-together, and don’t be surprised when the platter empties quickly.

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5 from 7 votes

Stuffed Jalapeños

These easy baked Stuffed Jalapeños are filled with a creamy mixture of cheddar, cream cheese, green onions, lime, and chili powder, then topped with buttery toasted saltine crumbs. Customize them from mild to spicy for an easy party or game-day appetizer.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizers, party food, vegetarian,

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 173

Author Sally Humeniuk

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

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• 10 Saltine crackers coarsely crushed
• 1 tbsp butter melted
• 12 jalapeno chiles medium-sized, preferably with stems
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 3 green onions chopped fine
• 2 tsps lime juice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp fresh black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro parsley works as well

Instructions

• Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toast the cracker crumbs. Toss the crushed saltines with melted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
  10 Saltine crackers, 1 tbsp butter
• Prepare the jalapeños. Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise through the stem, leaving some stem attached to each half. Remove the ribs and seeds, reserving some if you'd like to add heat to the filling.
  12 jalapeno chiles
• Make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the cheddar, cream cheese, green onions, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. For medium or spicy jalapeños, finely chop some of the reserved ribs and seeds and mix them into the filling according to the Notes below.
  1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese, 3 green onions, 2 tsps lime juice, 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp fresh black pepper
• Fill the jalapeños. Divide the cheese mixture evenly among the jalapeño halves and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with the toasted saltine crumbs.
• Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is hot and melted and the peppers are tender. The jalapeños will be soft when first removed from the oven but will firm slightly as they cool. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.
  2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Equipment

1 Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Notes

• Control the heat: Jalapeños naturally vary in spiciness, so these amounts are a guide rather than a guarantee. The ribs contain much of the pepper's heat.
• For mild jalapeños: Remove all the ribs and seeds and don't add any back to the filling.
• For medium heat: Finely chop about 2 tablespoons of the reserved ribs and seeds and mix them into the cheese filling.
• For spicy jalapeños: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped ribs and seeds to the filling.
• Make both mild and spicy: Fill half the peppers with the mild cheese mixture, then add chopped ribs and seeds to the remaining filling. Top the spicy peppers with a thin jalapeño slice so they're easy to identify.
• Make ahead: The peppers can be halved and cleaned and the cheese filling prepared up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate separately, then fill, top, and bake when ready to serve.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Jalapeños

Amount Per Serving (3 jalapeno halves)

Calories 173 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 39mg13%

Sodium 380mg17%

Potassium 113mg3%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 799IU16%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 172mg17%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe slightly modified from America’s Test Kitchen.