Smoked Jalapeño Popper Dip
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This smoked jalapeño popper dip recipe will make your mouth water! It’s easy to make, and has all the jalapeño popper flavors in an easy to make cheese dip.
Love smoked jalapeño poppers and Texas Twinkies?
Then you’ll love this smoked jalapeño popper dip. I’ve taken the all flavors of jalapeño poppers and turned them into a delicious, dippable appetizer that will have your taste buds singing.
This jalapeño bacon cheese dip is the perfect combination of creamy, cheesy, smoky, bacon-y goodness with just enough heat to keep things interesting.
Plus it’s great on tortilla chips, veggies, and crackers. You should probably serve it on game day!
This smoked jalapeño popper dip recipe is dedicated to keeping it interesting.
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Tips + Tricks
No. 1 –> This is a GREAT recipe to use your homemade bacon ends!
No. 2 –> Double batching this recipe so you can fill the freezer? Consider wearing latex gloves! The capsaicin in the peppers can and will burn your fingers for a long time if you’re making this recipe at scale.
No. 3 –> Wondering what to do with all the stems and seeds from your peppers? Compost them or feed them to your backyard chickens!
Key Ingredients
Jalapeños: Can’t have a spicy popper without a jalapeño pepper! When choosing your peppers, pick large, bright, and firm jalapeños. Avoid any wrinkled, or soft peppers.
BBQ Rub: We’re cooking on the pellet grill, it only makes sense to add some BBQ flavor to the recipe! I used some leftover brisket rub from our last smoke, but feel free to use your favorite rub.
How To Make Smoked Jalapeño Popper Dip
Prepare it up:
- Preheat your Traeger or other pellet grill to 225f.
- Coarsely chop 10 pieces of bacon and cook until semi-crisp. I like to cook bacon in a cast iron skillet over low heat.
- Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry 4 fresh jalapeños. Slice the jalapeños down the middle lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and membrane. Dice the jalapeños finely. Set aside.
Mix it up:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese with 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup of full-fat sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub until fully combined. This can be mixed by hand in a large bowl, but the mixer makes it so much easier.
- Then add half of the cooked and crumbled bacon and all of the diced jalapeños. Beat again until completely combined.
Dish it up:
- Transfer cream cheese mixture to an 8″ round casserole or baking dish, and use a spoon or spatula to smooth the surface. I like to use my 8″ cast iron skillet for serving this dip because it keeps it hot and dippable for longer!
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs, 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan, and the remaining bacon. Toss to combine.
- Pour 1/4 cup of melted butter over top of the breadcrumb mixture and stir until completely combined.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over top of the cream cheese mixture.
Smoke it up:
- Smoke your jalapeño popper dip at 225f for 40 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 350f and smoke for another 20 minutes or so, or until the dip is bubbly and the topping has browned.
- Remove smoked jalapeño popper dip from the pellet grill and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving!
Batch + Storage
Batch:
This recipe makes a full 8″ dish. It can easily be doubled, or halved, if you like! I find this to be enough for 6-8 people.
Storage:
If you’ve got leftover dip, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s good cold, which surprised me, but can also be reheated in the oven at 250f until heated through, or tossed into a microwave-safe dish and nuked until nice and warm!
Make Ahead
One great thing about this recipe is that it freezes so great!
Instead of transferring your dip into a cast iron skillet or casserole dish, spoon it into a tinfoil container, leaving enough room to add the topping too! Add the topping and close the container.
Place dip in the freezer until ready to use. It will last at least 2 months in the freezer.
When ready to eat, place the frozen dip on a wire mesh rack and smoke uncovered at 225 f for 90 minutes, then increase the temperature to 350f, and smoke for another 20 minutes or until hot throughout and bubbly!
More Smoked Finger Foods To Try :
Variations + Substitutions
There are so many ways to make this recipe your own! I love it exactly as written but here are a couple of ways to tweak it just a bit!
- Change out the cheese! Use Monterey Jack or even your own homemade smoked cheddar cheese *bonus points if you use my guide!
- Add a smidge of your favorite BBQ sauce to your cream cheese mix, to make it a bit more like my smoked pulled pork dip.
Best Pellets For Your Smoked Dip
I like Lumberjack Competition blend for this recipe. It’s a blend of maple, hickory, and cherry and I find it’s the perfect all-around blend, but if you don’t have a blend, just use one of maple, hickory, or cherry!
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📖 Printable Recipe
Traeger Smoked Jalapeño Popper Dip
Ingredients
for the dip:
- 10 slices thin cut bacon or 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 4 medium/large jalapeños
- 8 oz block cream cheese softened
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons BBQ rub
for the topping:
- 1 cup Panko or breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup melted butter or margarine
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger or other pellet grill to 225f.
- Coarsely chop 10 pieces bacon and cook until semi crisp. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry 4 fresh jalapeños. Remove the seeds and membrane, then dice the jalapeños finely. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese with 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup of full fat sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub until fully combined.
- Then add half of the cooked and crumbled bacon and all of the diced jalapeños. Beat again until completely combined.
- Transfer cream cheese mixture to an 8" round casserole or baking dish, and use a spoon or spatula to smooth the surface.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of Panko or breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan and the remaining bacon. Toss to combine.
- Pour 1/4 cup of melted butter over top of the breadcrumb mixture and stir until completely combined.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Smoke your jalapeño popper dip at 225f for 40 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 350f and smoke for another 20 minutes or so.
- Remove smoked jalapeño popper dip from the pellet grill and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving!
Notes
Batch:
Storage:
If you've got leftover dip, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's good cold, which surprised me, but can also be reheated in the oven at 250f until heated through, or tossed into a microwave safe dish and nuked until nice and warm!make ahead
One great thing about this recipe is that this jalapeño popper dip freezes so great! Instead of transferring your dip into a cast iron skillet or casserole dish, spoon it into a tinfoil container, leaving enough room to add the topping too! Add the topping and close the container. Place dip in the freezer until ready to use. It will last at least 2 months in the freezer. When ready to eat, place the frozen dip on a wire mesh rack and smoke uncovered at 225 f for 90 minutes, then increase the temperature to 350f, and smoke for another 20 minutes or until hot throughout and bubbly.variations + substitutions
- Change out the cheese! Use Monterey Jack or even your own HOMEMADE SMOKED CHEDDAR CHEESE *bonus points if you use my guide!
- Add a smidge of your favorite BBQ sauce to your cream cheese mix, to make it a bit more like my PULLED PORK DIP.
Recommended Equipment + Ingredients
Nutrition
Pin This Smoked Jalapeño Popper Recipe!
Oh I can’t wait to try these- they might have to make an appearance at my super bowl party!
This looks delicious and so easy to make! Perfect for a game day appetizer.
Totally is! You should definitely try it!
This sounds really good and I can’t wait to make it, what woodchips would you recommend?
Hey Jean, I use competition blend a lot, I find it’s a great all round flavor for recipes like this!