Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Yield: 24 servings
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Description: Jalapeño halves stuffed with a creamy cheese filling, topped with bacon, and finished with a sweet peach preserve drizzle for a spicy-sweet appetizer.
Ingredients
12 large jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeds and veins removed for mild or left in for heat
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1½ cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1½ teaspoons Head Country seasoning (or your favorite all-purpose BBQ seasoning)
10–12 slices bacon, par-cooked until lightly browned but still flexible
½–¾ cup peach preserves, warmed until pourable
Instructions
Heat: Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top if you have one.
Prep: Prep the peppers. Halve jalapeños lengthwise. Leave some seeds and veins for extra heat or remove for milder poppers.
Filling: Make the filling. In a bowl mix cream cheese, cheddar and seasoning until smooth. Let the cream cheese sit at room temp so it blends easily.
Fill: Fill the halves. Spoon the mixture into each jalapeño and level it smooth across the top so bacon can sit flat.
Add Bacon: Cut par-cooked bacon into short strips. Press a strip into the top of each filled pepper or tuck an edge into the filling so it stays put.
Bake: Place peppers on the rack or pan. Bake 12–18 minutes until the peppers are tender and the tops are browned. For deeper color, broil 1–2 minutes at the end.
Warm preserves: Warm the preserves. Microwave peach preserves 20–30 seconds until loose and glossy.
Finish and serve: Drizzle preserves over the hot poppers or serve on the side for dipping. Rest 5 minutes, then serve.
